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Captain, Four HM Militants Killed in Kashmir Firefight

By Fayaz Wani

Srinagar, March 4: An Indian army captain and four militants owing allegiance to the pro-Pakistan militant group Hizbul Mujahideen were killed in a 30-hour-long gunfight in the Indian administered Kashmir on Thursday.

A senior paramilitary officer, pleading anonymity, while giving details of the gunfight said army, police and paramilitary CRPF soldiers laid siege around a locality in Dadasar, Tral, some 35 kms south of Srinagar on Wednesday after receiving inputs about presence of four militants in the area.

"After plugging off all the possible escape routes, the soldiers zeroed-in on some residential houses where the militants were hiding. They were asked to surrender. However, they turned down the offer and fired from AK-47 rifles. The fire was returned, triggering an encounter," he said.

The official said the encounter lasted for 30 hours during which four Hizbul Mujahideen militants and an army captain were killed. "Five Indian soldiers including a policeman were hurt and two residential houses gutted during the firefight," he said.

He identified the deceased army captain as Deepak Sharma. The slain militants were identified as Mohammad Amin Mir alias Mitha, Shabir Ahmad Mir alias Zahid; Ghulam Mohammad Mir alias Janwar and Khalid.

The official said four AK rifles and some ammunition was recovered from the encounter site.

He termed the killing of four militants as a major setback to the militant group in South Kashmir. "We hope this will help us in curbing the militant activities in South Kashmir," he said.

It is pertinent to mention here that a senior army official had recently said that more than 100 militants are active in South Kashmir.

Fayaz Wani reports on life in Srinagar, Kashmir.