 Early Times Report
Jammu, Jan 31: Three militants were neutralised by security forces during a gun battle that broke out after a group of militants, travelling in a truck, opened fire at a police team at a Ban toll plaza, on the Jammu-Srinagar national highway this morning.
Police said the killed terrorists were foreigners and suspected to have infiltrated from along the International Border (IB) in Kathua district to carry out an attack. “The group of three-four militants was on their way to Srinagar when the police team intercepted it at the Bann toll plaza”, a senior Police Officer said.
“One of the militants was killed in the ensuing gunfight while the rest managed to escape to the adjacent forest area, a policeman was injured and had been hospitalised”, the officer said, added, “It is suspected that they infiltrated from Hiranagar border (of Kathua district).” “Latter two more terrorists were killed by the security forces eliminating the infiltrators”, the officer added.
The Jammu-Srinagar highway was closed and traffic halted and entire forest belt was cordoned off and militants were intercepted, resulting in a fierce gun battle, the officials said. The militants also fired grenades, they said. Two more militants were killed in the gun battle, taking the toll to three, the DGP said, adding that one more is probably in trap.
IGP Jammu Zone, MukeSh Singh, told reporters that the truck on its way to Kashmir was intercepted at the toll post at 5 am by a joint team of police and CRPF. “There was firing from the truck resulting in injuries to one policeman, he said. Police and CRPF jawans retaliated, killing a militant while the rest managed to escape towards the forest area, the IGP said.
The truck driver, Maqbool, who is an over ground worker, three sympathisers all resident of Pulwama, had been arrested and is being questioned. The truck was carrying polyvinyl and a cavity was created inside it to hide the militants, officials said. The militants were armed with bullet-proof jackets, they said. The officials suspect the militants might have planned to carry out attack at vital installations as well as security camps along the nearly 300-km highway. Senior police officials were at the spot to oversee the combing operations. All schools and colleges in Udhampur district have been closed as a precautionary measure.
A large quantity arm and ammunition have been recovered from the killed terrorists. “After the encounter was over a large quantity of arms and ammunition including wireless sets and US-made M4 carbines, AK-47 rifles, five pistols, around 40 grenades, handset, medicines and other items have been recovered from them”, sources said. |
