A militant was killed and a soldier was injured in an encounter at Handwara area in north Kashmir’s Kupwara district on Wednesday.A police official told GNS that acting on a specific information about the presence of some militants at Shah Mohalla Hamla Pati village in Zatchaldara, Handwara in the district, the joint team of army’s 21 RR and SOG cordoned off the whole area.As such the joint team intensified the searches, the militants hiding in the village tried to break the cordoned and opened heavy fire upon the forces, the official said, adding that the fire was retaliated ensuing a fierce gun battle.
In the meantime, the militants while fleeing entered in another hamlet adjacent to the forest area, he said, adding that another fresh gunfight erupted between the holed up militants and the army during which a foreign militant has been killed.They identified the militant as Abu Mosa, a pisional commander of Lashkar-i-Toiba outfit and a soldier of 21 RR identified as Lias Naik Chinna Bassapa Pojari (28) also sustained bullet injuries during the encounter. “The injured soldier was immediately rushed sub-district hospital Handwara where from he was removed to army’s 92 –base hospital here in Srinagar in serious conditions.
“Abu Mosa was active in in Handwara, Rajwara and Ramhall belt since 2012 and was headed three separate militant groups in the district”, the official said, adding that the militant was also involved in the killing of a police Head Constable at Hangalpora area of Vilgam on 13 July, 2013 besides was also involved in the attack on Army convoy at Dragmulla on 16th November last year.“GPS-01, phone-01, AK-47 -01 along with two magzines, Hand Grenades-02 and a pouch was recovered from his possession”, the official said.The search operation in the area was going on to track down the remaining militant, he said.
However, sources said that another militant also sustained a bullet wound and managed to give slip to the joint party of forces.Meanwhile, Alif-Din Gujer of Hamala Pati area while talking to GNS said that we were busy in our house hold works when the two gunmen passed by his residence amid firing upon them by forces.“I somehow managed to escape along with my family members. However, in the firing incident, a cow, calf and a goat who were grazing nearby our house belonging to us have been killed”, Alif Din said. (GNS)