Three army personnel were killed in an encounter with militants in Jammu and Kashmir’s Kulgam district on Friday, officials said. Security forces have launched a cordon and search operation in the higher reaches of Halan forest area in south Kashmir’s Kulgam district following information about the presence of militants there, a police official said. He said the search operation turned into an encounter after the militants fired. to the security forces who retaliated.
Three security forces were injured in the gunfight, the official said, adding that they succumbed during treatment.” Operation Halan #Kulgam. On specific inputs regarding the presence of terrorists on the upper reaches of the Halan in Kulgam, the operation launched by the security forces on 4 August 23. In an exchange of fire with the terrorists, three personnel sustained injuries and later succumbed. Search operations are continuing,” Srinagar-based Chinar Corps of the Army said in a tweet.
The official said reinforcements have been rushed to the area and search operations have intensified.
Police arrest 3 militant associates in Srinagar
In the summer capital of Srinagar, police arrested three militant associates allegedly linked to the banned group The Resistance Front (TRF), an offshoot of Lashkar e Taiba (LeT) in Natipora town area.
A police spokesman said a small team of the Srinagar police at a check post set up at Harnabal Natipora arrested the three associates based on a specific intelligence.
They have been identified as Imran Ahmad Najar, a resident of Bulbul Bagh Baramulla, Waseem Ahmad Matta, a resident of Qamarwari, Srinagar, and Wakeel Ahmad Bhat, a resident of Bijbehar.
The spokesman said police recovered three hand grenades, 10 pistol rounds, 25 AK-47 rounds and other incriminating materials from them.
“Wakeel Ahmad Bhat was earlier an active terrorist associated with the banned terrorist organization ISJK and was imprisoned for two years and was recently released from the Central Jail on bail,” the spokesperson said.
“During preliminary investigation, it has come to light that the trio had collected explosive substances and ammunition from active terrorists of TRF for carrying out terrorist activities in Srinagar city, thereby averting the terror threat,” he said.
Subsequently, a case under FIR No. 46/23 was registered at Chanapora Police Station under Sections 3/4 of the Explosives Act, 7/25 of the Arms Act, 18, 23, 39 of the UAPA and an investigation was initiated.
