Punjab soldier, militant killed in Valley encounter

Kulgam, November 14

An Army jawan lost his life while a policeman suffered injuries in a gunbattle in Qazigund area of south Kashmir’s Kulgam district today, which resulted in the killing of a militant.

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The slain jawan was identified as Sepoy Manjinder Singh, 20, from Punjab, who had recently joined the Army. The militant, Muzamil Ahmad, of Badroo Yaripora in Kulgam district belonged to Lashkar-e-Toiba and had been active for over four years, a police officer said. 

Security forces cordoned off the forest area adjacent to Halan-Kond village after inputs about the presence of militants, who were briefly sighted before disappearing in the thick forest cover. 

“Contact was established again at 10.30 am,” a police source said. After a brief exchange of fire, a militant was gunned down, while a soldier lost his life. Clashes erupted as hundreds of locals tried to march towards the encounter site. — TNS