Army patrol attacked in Shopian, 3 soldiers killed, 5 injured

Majid Jahangir

Tribune News Service
Srinagar, February 23

Three Army jawans were killed and five others, including two officers, were injured in a militant attack in south Kashmir’s Shopian district. A woman was also killed in the cross-firing.

The militants ambushed an Army patrol at Mullu Shopian around 2 am, wounding eight soldiers.

“Three injured soldiers succumbed to their injuries,” sources said. The militants managed to escape taking advantage of the darkness.

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Of the two injured army officers one is a lieutenant colonel and the other a major, who is critical.

The identity of the slain soldiers could not be established immediately.

The Army patrol, which came under attack, was on its way back after carrying out a cordon and search operation at Kungnoo, Shopian.

Police said one Taja, wife of Ghulam Mohammed Mir of Mullu, was hit by a stray bullet at her house in the cross-fire.

“She later succumbed to her injuries,” the police spokesman said.

The slain soldiers have been identified as Lance Naik Ghulam Mohi ud Din Rather of Marhama, Anantnag, Kashmir; Sapper Sreejith MJ of Palakkad, Kerala; and Sepoy Vikas Singh Gurjar of Nodoti, Rajasthan.

Soon after the ambush the forces cordoned off the area and launched an operation to track the militants.

Hijbul Mujahidden have owned responsibility for the attack.