Uri repeat foiled, 3 ultras shot

SRINAGAR:Security forces today foiled a Uri-style fidayeen attack, killing all three infiltrators close to the Line of Control (LoC) in north Kashmir’s Baramulla district, even as a special police officer (SPO) in Sopore, showing exemplary bravery, “threw away” a grenade that landed inside a security vehicle with more than 15 personnel.

Majid Jahangir

Tribune News Service

Srinagar, September 24

Security forces today foiled a Uri-style fidayeen attack, killing all three infiltrators close to the Line of Control (LoC) in north Kashmir’s Baramulla district, even as a special police officer (SPO) in Sopore, showing exemplary bravery, “threw away” a grenade that landed inside a security vehicle with more than 15 personnel.

Seven persons, including the SPO, were injured when the grenade exploded in a Sopore market.

This is the second grenade attack in Kashmir in the past four days. On Thursday, J&K minister Naeem Akhter had escaped a grenade attack in south Kashmir’s Tral.

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The encounter near the LoC in Kalgai Uri, 110 from Srinagar, erupted when the Army spotted three militants late Saturday evening. A cordon was laid around a built-up area where the militants were hiding. A gunfight ensued at 2 am as searches were being carried out close to the Uri Kaman road. Many civilians were evacuated, said defence sources.

“Three militants have been killed and three weapons recovered. The combing operation is underway,” an officer said, adding that two civilians and a soldier had been injured too. The militants are yet to be identified.

Addressing the media in Srinagar, state police chief Shesh Paul Vaid said: “They were planning a suicide attack on an Army base like the one last year. The police and the Army, acting on prior information, foiled their plan.”

On September 18 last year, the Army base in Uri was attacked by four fidayeen of the Lashkar-e-Toiba. At least 19 soldiers were killed. In retaliation, the Indian Army launched surgical strikes on militant launch-pads in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK). As per initial reports, the militants killed in Kalgai may have infiltrated on Friday night. They planned to target an artillery Army base in the vicinity of the village early Sunday morning, top sources said. Meanwhile, the forces have busted a militant hideout in Kupwara and recovered arms and a “war-like” store.