A militant was killed in a gunfight with army and police’s SOG at Uri sector while five others are believed to be trapped at forest area in Rafiabad in north Kashmir’s Baramulla district on Wednesday.A senior defence ministry official told GNS that army’s 46 RR along with the additional reinforcement of 17 JAk Rif, 4 PARA, 35 RR and 32 RR cordoned off the vast area of Murgan Beehak forest area of Bijhama in Uri and other routes connecting to Nowgam sector including Vijay Top following the specific information about the presence of some militants in the area.As such the combing operation was intensified and the militants present in the area opened heavy fire resulted in an encounter, he said.The firefight continued for several hours and in the gunfight an unidentified militant was killed, he said.The official said that the remaining militants who were part of the group managed to escape from the scene while taking advantage of dense bushes in the forest area.
Meanwhile, army’s 32 RR and police cordoned off the Vijay Top forest area in Rafiabad following the inputs about the presence of a militant group. It is believed that the militants believed to be five in number who managed to escape from the Bijhama were hiding at the Vijay Top.As the search party intensified the searches in the area, the militants tried to break the cordon, however, the forces engaged in an encounter.A defence ministry official confirmed to GNS that five militants were trapped in the encounter with army at Vijay Top forest area in Rafiabad. When reports last came in, the gunfight was going on in the area.Meanwhile, fresh firing started at Rampupil Post and Pather Mori Post in Kamal Koot area of Uri sector along Line of Control and it could not be immediately ascertained as to whether it was ceasefire violation or gunfight between infiltrators and the Indian army’s 34 RR and 20 Sikhli Regiment. (GNS)