Sopore encounter ends, Captain, militant killed

Srinagar: An Army officer and a militant were killed in the 17-hour long Sopore encounter that ended on Wednesday.

Correspondent from North Kashmir quoting official sources said the lone militant who was hiding in the residential house of Raja Begum, wife of Late Mohammad Ramzan Sheikh was killed after the joint team of Army’s 22 RR, Special Operations Group (SOG) of police and Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) 179 Battalion razed the house to ground with grenades and mortars this morning. The militant has been identified as Ubaidullah Baqi of Pakistan.With the death of the lone militant, the toll in the 17-hour encounter reached two.

On Tuesday evening, an Army captain identified as Abhimanyu was killed.

Five residential houses belonging to Sajad Ahmad Wani, Abdul Khaliq Sheikh, Shams-ud-din Untoo, Farooq Ahmad Basathi and Ghulam Rasool Gadai also suffered partial damages in the gunfight.

Reliable sources said that the encounter raged on last evening, after the joint team laid a siege around Model Town-B locality of Sopore town where two militants reportedly were looking for medical aid.

“As the joint team appeared in the area, the militants opened heavy fire on them. A captain was injured in the initial exchange of gunfire. Later, he succumbed,” sources said.

The militants, they said managed to flee from the spot and took shelter in a residential house.

“One of the militants fled the area, while another fought the search team. This morning, the lone militant was killed,” they added.

Meanwhile, a police spokesman said that an Army officer and a militant were killed in the gun battle.

“Acting on specific information about the presence of armed militants in Model town area of Sopore, Police and 22-RR unit of Army laid a siege around of the area last evening.  The operation was halted for the night to avoid collateral damages, which resumed this morning,” the spokesman said.

Earlier, the spokesman said militants had fired upon the search party resulting in injuries to an Army officer, who later succumbed.