4 Army men, one militant killed in Tral encounter

Srinagar: At least four army personnel and an engineering graduate turned militant were killed on Friday in a fierce gunfight at Buchu Tral in south Kashmir. The encounter that lasted several hours began at 3 am in the morning when Personnel of the 42 RR along with Police cordoned off the Buchu locality, almost 7 kilometers away from the main Town of Tral to nab the militants who they believed were hiding in village. Srinagar based army PRO Col. Naresh Shuhab told that the local unit of Rashtriya Rifles had a tip of off, of some militants hiding in the village following which they cordoned off the area and began search operation.
“we cordoned off the area and began search operations, during which our party came under heavy fire from militants hiding in nearby forest, resulting in the on spot death of three jawans whereas one more jawan later died in the hospital.” PRO told news agency. One local militant was also killed in the encounter.
Meanwhile Police sources identified the slained personnel as Dalbeer Singh, Ashwin Kumar, Ajeet Singh and Kamal Jeet, whereas the militant killed in the encounter has been identified as a 21 year old Saifu llah Ahanger alias Burhan S/o Mohammad Rafiq Ahanger R/O Hariparigam Tral. Sources said that Ahanger belonged to Hizb ul Mujahideen and joined ranks just before four months. They added that he was an engineering graduate who had qualified B, Tech. from SSM College Parihaspora.
The sources also added that the militants decamped with 3 service rifles of the slained personnel also. However they left a service SLR on the spot, which Police said was taken away by militants last year in an encounter.
Soon after the encounter, Inspector General of Police A.G Mir along with GOC Victor Force Gurdeep Singh and other senior Police and Army officers rushed to the spot to access the situation, whereas more troops belonging to 3 and 42 RR, 85 battalion CRPF and the district police along with SOG were dispatched to the area to intensify the search operations.
The dead body of the slained militant was later handed over to the relatives in the evening.
Meanwhile militant outfit, Hizb ul Mujahedeen has claimed the responsibility saying, the operation was carried out by 5 member squad of the outfit among whom, four have reached to their hide outs safely.
“this was a five member guerilla squad who killed 5 army men and wounded 7. We also lost one Mujahid.” Hizb Spokesman Baleg ud din told news agency over phone. Spokesman also paid tributes on behalf Hizb Supermo and operational commander to Saif ullah Ahanger and Molvi Hilal.