In a pre-dawn fidayeen attack at an Army camp in Jammu and Kashmir's Kupwara district, three armymen, including a Captain, were killed, while six soldiers were wounded who were immediately shifted to Badamibagh based Army hospital. Two militants were also killed during the gunfight.Reports said that a group of militants stormed a garrison at the Panzgam Chowkibal area of North Kashmir’s Kupwara district during wee hours.Police sources told CNS that militants resorted to indiscriminate firing resulting in the injuries of at least 9 soldiers among which three including Captain Ayush Yadu, Subedar Bhup Singh and Naik Veer Raman succumbed to their injuries while rest of the wounded soldiers were shifted to Srinagar Army hospital for advanced treatment. Reports said that one of the injured soldiers Giresh Chandra is critical. The other wounded soldiers have been identified as Shindey Predesh, Rushi Kumar, Ramesh Bee, Desai Mukesh Kumar and V.B. Reddy. Reports said that shortly after storming garrison, militants used guns and grenades to target soldiers. Confirming the incident, Srinagar based Defense Spokesperson Colonel Rajesh Kalia said that besides, 3 soldiers, two militants were also killed in the attack. He said that search operation was launched to find out if any more militant managed to sneak inside the garrison.
“The army cordoned off the entire area including a nearby forest area while bodies of two militants were retrieved from the spot,” said a police official.Defense source said that militants were believed to be four in number. “Two militants were neutralized while two managed to escape from the spot. Massive search operation in forest area has been launched to track them down,” said an official.Another official said that the presence of at least another militant is suspected, since three AK-47 rifles were recovered from the spot. A manhunt in the area is on for the militant, who is suspected to be injured. Nine magazines, hand grenades, a matrix sheet and a smart phone were recovered from the spot.Meanwhile, shortly after the culmination of the gunfight, locals gathered and held protests, throwing stones at government forces as they demanded the bodies of the two militants. Eyewitnesses said that government forces reportedly fired upon the protesters killing a middle aged man whom police identified as Muhammad Yousuf.Witnesses said that Yousuf received a bullet in his neck and he was brought dead in the hospital. Many protesters were also wounded The killing of the civilian sparked massive protests while large contingent of Army and other forces personnel were deployed to maintain law and order. (CNS)