Terrorist killed in Kashmir, Army dog dies in gunfight

Baramulla senior superintendent of police, Rayees Mohammad Bhat, said the gunfight broke out at Wanigam Bala area of Baramulla district when a joint team of security forces was on an operation

A terrorist was killed and three security personnel were wounded in a gunfight in north Kashmir’s Baramulla district on Saturday, a senior police officer said, adding that a sniffer dog of the forces was also killed in the operation.

A sniffer dog of the Indian army was killed in the encounter (HT PHOTO)

Baramulla senior superintendent of police, Rayees Mohammad Bhat, said the gunfight broke out at Wanigam Bala area of Baramulla district when a joint team of security forces was on a search operation.

As the forces cordoned off the area, they were fired upon, said SSP Bhat.

“A terrorist was hiding who opened fire on the forces. The terrorist was (ultimately) killed (in the encounter),” he said, adding that the identity of the deceased is yet to be ascertained.

“Two jawans of the army and a policeman were injured. We have also lost a sniffer dog in the operation,” the SSP said.

Security forces recovered an AK-47 rifle, three magazines and a pouch from the site of the gunfight, Bhat said.

On July 17, terrorists shot and killed CRPF assistant sub inspector Vinod Kumar at a checkpoint at Gangoo Crossing in south Kashmir’s Pulwama. On July 12, J&K police ASI Mushtaq Ahmad was killed when terrorists fired upon a police party at Lal Bazar area of Srinagar.

On July 11, top Jaish-e-Mohammed commander Kaiser Koka was among two terrorists killed in an encounter with security forces in Pulwama district, police said. Police said Koka was a categorised terrorist involved in several terror crimes, including attacks on the police and other security forces.