JAMMU/SRINAGAR: J&Okay police head constable Bashir Ahmed was killed and an assistant sub-inspector (ASI) and a deputy SP, who was main the operation, had been wounded Saturday night throughout a shootout between safety forces and terrorists in Kog-Mandli village in Billawar tehsil of Jammu division’s Kathua district.
Earlier within the day, a senior commander of Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) and his affiliate had been killed in a separate counterterrorism operation in Adigam village of south Kashmir’s Kulgam district.Three troopers and a J&Okay police further SP suffered bullet wounds in that shootout.
Head constable Bashir was the newest casualty within the escalating terrorist violence in J&Okay this summer time. Between Could 4 and Sept 28, 22 safety personnel had been killed — 18 within the Jammu zone and 4 in Kashmir valley.
Officers reported {that a} joint group of safety forces launched a search Friday night time after receiving intelligence from locals about “suspicious males carrying weapons” close to the remoted, mountainside village of Lahiri in Kathua. The search prolonged to close by villages. By Saturday night, a gunfight erupted in Kog-Mandli village, the place terrorists had been believed to be hiding in a home. ADG Anand Jain confirmed that head constable Bashir misplaced his life, whereas the ASI was wounded within the alternate of fireside.
South Kashmir vary DIG Javaid Iqbal Matoo confirmed that two terrorists, together with LeT commander Umais Ahmed Wani, had been killed within the Kulgam operation. Kulgam native Wani had been energetic within the Pakistan-backed outfit since 2020 and had a number of FIRs registered in opposition to him. The second terrorist was recognized as Aqib Ahmed Gojri, energetic since 2022 and concerned in a number of circumstances.
A high official mentioned the taking pictures began within the morning when two to 3 terrorists hiding within the space opened fireplace on a joint group of troopers and police. The group had been dispatched primarily based on particular intelligence concerning the presence of “armed overseas intruders”. ASP Mumtaz Ali was among the many wounded, whereas the names of the three troopers haven’t been formally launched. Their circumstances are reported as steady.
The Kulgam operation marks the primary main conflict between safety forces and terrorists in Kashmir valley through the ongoing three-phase meeting elections, which started on Sept 18 and can conclude on Oct 1.
Kashmir vary IG VK Birdi mentioned police have made all obligatory safety preparations for the third part of elections in 5 districts of north Kashmir.
