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Bodies of 6 Militants Recovered in Kashmir: Army

By Fayaz Wani

Srinagar, July 3: The Indian army on Friday claimed to have recovered bodies of six of the eight militants, who were buried alive in an avalanche in Gurez sector in North Kashmir during an infiltration bid in March this year.

"A group of six to eight heavily armed militants got buried alive in the avalanche while infiltrating into Gurez during heavy snowfall in March. The bodies of the militants could not be retrieved at that time due to the heavy accumulation of snow," an army spokesman said in Srinagar.

With the melting of snow, he said, bodies of six militants were recovered and the search is on to locate remaining bodies. "The militants were well equipped and clothed to infiltrate through the snow laden ridge lines of North Kashmir. Six AK- 47 rifles were also recovered," he said.

Meanwhile, police said that a militant was killed in an encounter with police and Indian army personnel at Wedder Bala, Handwara in North Kashmiron Friday.

"We launched combing operations in Weddar Balla area in Handwara in the wee hours after receiving inputs that militants were hiding in the area. During the operation, the militants fired from automatic weapons towards the search party. The fire was returned and in the ensuing gunfight an unidentified militant was killed," a police spokesman said.

"An AK rifle, two magazines, a hand grenade and 40 rounds of ammunition were recovered from the encounter site," he said, adding, "The combing operation was going on".

The police spokesman two porters working with the army drowned into the Kishan Ganga river near Gurez in North Kashmir. Identified as Altaf Ahmad Khan, 20 and Habibullah, 30, both were working in construction of the bridge. "Body of Altaf was recovered while the search was going on fish body of another porter," he added.

Fayaz Wani reports on life in Srinagar, Kashmir.