Operation to flush out militants underway in Jammu and Kashmir’s Babagund area

The operation to flush out militants from the Babagund area of Jammu and Kashmir’s Kupwara district continued for the second day on Saturday, police said.

The encounter began on Friday morning when security forces launched a search operation in the area in north Kashmir, following information about presence of militants there.

“The operation at Babagund is on,” a police official said.

He said security forces have cordoned off the area to stop militants from escaping.

After the encounter began on Friday, there was lull in firing several times during the day, but militants opened fire as soon as security forces advanced towards a house where they were hiding.

After one such lull, the militants opened indiscriminate firing on advancing team of security forces as they were closing in, injuring nine security force personnel.

A police spokesman on Friday said four security force personnel – two cops and two CRPF personnel including an inspector – later succumbed to injuries. However, defence officials Friday said two army jawans were also killed in the operation.

Clashes between a group of youngsters and law enforcing agencies took place near the encounter site on Friday in which several protestors were injured in the security forces’ action.

A youth, identified as Waseem Ahmad Mir, who had severe injuries, was rushed to a hospital where the doctors declared him ‘brought dead’.