3 Lashkar militants, woman killed in Handwara gunfight

Tribune News Service

Srinagar/Handwara, dec 11

At least three militants of the Lashkar-e-Toiba were killed in a gunfight in north Kashmir’s frontier Kupwara district. A 25-year-old woman was also killed in the “crossfire”, triggering protests.

The gunfight erupted around 12.30 am when joint teams of the police, Army and the CRPF launched a cordon and search operation at Unisoo in Handwara, 70 km from Srinagar, after a specific input about the presence of militants.

“The militants tried to break the cordon and fired indiscriminately. In the six-hour gunfight, three militants were killed. Unfortunately a woman, Mysara, was inside the house where the militants were holed up and was wounded in the crossfire. She later succumbed,” said Deputy Inspector General of Police, north Kashmir, Vidhi Kumar Birdi. “The other family members in the house where the militants were hiding were taken out by the forces.”

The three slain Lashkar-e-Toiba militants are suspected to be Pakistan nationals. Three AK rifles along with ammunition were recovered from the encounter site.

While the security forces maintain that the three militants were killed during gunfight, sources, however, said one of the foreign militants was arrested in an injured condition during the gunfight. He succumbed to his injuries later.

As the news about the death of the woman spread in the area, a large number of people came out on streets to stage a protest against the killing. The protesters shouted “pro-freedom” slogans and also blocked the Sopore-Handwara road for some time. The woman is survived by a 5-month-old baby girl and husband.

Meanwhile, internet services were suspended in Kupwara district to foil protests.

Suspected to be Pak nationals

• The gunfight erupted around 12.30 am when joint teams of the police, Army and the CRPF launched a cordon and search operation at Unisoo in Handwara, after a specific input about the presence of militants.
• The three slain Lashkar-e-Toiba militants are suspected to be Pakistan nationals. Three AK rifles along with ammunition were recovered from the encounter site.