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J-K: Another soldier killed as gunfight continues with militants
Security forces had cordoned off the area and put their operations on hold for the night late on Saturday. The encounter resumed early on Sunday. The army officer was killed when he was fired upon as he tried to enter the building.
A second army soldier died in the ongoing gunfight between security forces and militants in Kashmir’s Pampore on Sunday.
The soldier, belonging to the 9 Paras, succumbed to his injuries, taking the toll in the encounter to five including four security personnel.
Earlier on Sunday, 22-year-old Pawan Kumar was killed when his team tried to enter J&K Entrepreurship Development Institute, a government building where militants are holed up.
“An officer of 10 Paras Pawan Kumar attained martyrdom, leading his men from the front in a tricky operations as terrorists are hiding in a government building with the possibility of some more civilians being trapped is not ruled out,’’ said a Srinagar based spokesman.
Two to four terrorists were believed to holed up inside the Entrepreneurship Development Institute building even as the encounter was underway.
Heavy exchange of fire was continuing and security forces were trying to neutralise the militants, said Bhavesh Kumar, PRO of CRPF.
Kumar also said that 11 CRPF jawans were injured in the gunbattle and all were stable.
A possible hostage situation was averted on Saturday after police and paramilitary quickly evacuated the building though some of those evacuated said they were allowed to go by the two heavily-armed militants.
Two CRPF men and a civilian were killed, and 11 security men injured when militants attacked a convoy before sneaking into the training centre with more than 100 people inside.
Security forces had cordoned off the area and put their operations on hold for the night late on Saturday.
CRPF spokesperson Bhavesh Chaudhary said two soldiers were killed while seven others were injured when militants opened fire on the convoy.
“Four jawans were injured in the subsequent gun fire between militants and security forces,” he added. He said the militants barged into the building, located on the national highway, after attacking the convoy.
The attackers were “holed up” in the main building of the institute and surrounded by security forces, Pampore police superintendent Mohammad Irshad said.
(With agencies input)
