Shopian encounter: Security forces gun down 2 militants - Hindustan Times
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Shopian encounter: Security forces gun down 2 militants

Mar 28, 2021 08:23 PM IST

A soldier lost his life while security forces managed to kill the second militant during the night in the gunfight in south Kashmir’s Shopian district which had erupted on Saturday evening

A soldier lost his life while security forces managed to kill the second militant during the night in the gunfight in south Kashmir’s Shopian district which had erupted on Saturday evening.

File photo: Army soldiers near the site of encounter in Shopian. (Waseem Andrabi/Hindustan Times)
File photo: Army soldiers near the site of encounter in Shopian. (Waseem Andrabi/Hindustan Times)

Earlier on Saturday evening, a joint operation by police, the Army and the CRPF was launched by security forces on the information of J&K police in Wangam area of Shopian. Officials said that at around 7:00 pm, a cordon and search operation was launched in the village and at around 8:15 pm, the militants fired indiscriminately on the search party.

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One militant was immediately killed in retaliation and an M-4 rifle was recovered even as a soldier was hit seriously and was moved to 92 Base Hospital.

Lieutenant Colonel Emron Musavi, PRO (Defence) Srinagar, said that late Havildar Pinku Kumar showed the “highest level of courage by returning effective fire,” in which he sustained a gunshot wound in the head and was grievously injured.

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“His bleeding was controlled with combat first aid and he was immediately evacuated to 92 Base Hospital for treatment where he succumbed to his injuries on Saturday,” he said.

As the gunfight continued, another soldier was injured while the security forces managed to kill the second militant around midnight.

Besides the M-4 rifle, which was the second recovery this month of the American origin weapon, the security forces also recovered an AK rifle and a pistol from the site.

Inspector-General of Police (Kashmir) Vijay Kumar said that the two militants killed in the gunfight belonged to terror outfits Hizbul Mujahideen (HM) and Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT).

“One of them is old, Inaytullah Sheikh, a resident of Shopian, who had gone to Pakistan in 2018 after arms training and had returned last week only. He was with HM,” IGP Kumar said.

The second militant was Adil Malik, a resident of Anantnag, who belonged to the LeT.

Meanwhile, the Army paid tributes to Havildar Pinku Kumar in a solemn ceremony at Badami Bagh Cantonment on Sunday.

“Lt Gen DP Pandey, Chinar Corps Commander and all ranks paid homage to the gallant soldier on behalf of the proud nation,” Musavi said.

Pinku Kumar, 38, had joined the Army in 2001. He belonged to Luhari village of Bagpat district in Uttar Pradesh and is survived by his wife, two daughters and a son.

“The mortal remains of Havildar Pinku Kumar were taken for last rites to his native place, where he would be laid to rest with full military honours. In this hour of grief, the Army stands in solidarity with the bereaved family and remains committed to their dignity and wellbeing,” said Musavi.

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