Ultras in J&K kill Territorial Army man on Eid leave

SRINAGAR: Terrorists killed a Kashmiri member of the Territorial Army in south Kashmir’s Anantnag district on Thursday evening.

State officials said a soldier, Havaldar Manzoor Ahmad Beigh of Sadoora village in Anantnag district, on leave to celebrate Eid-ul-Fitr, was shot and injured in his village. “Manzoor was taken to the district hospital, Anantnag, where he succumbed to his injuries,” the police said. The area was cordoned off to apprehend the attackers.

The deceased solider belonged to 162 Territorial Army and was posted with the Army’s 34 RR in Shopian district, south Kashmir, official sources said.

According to the defence spokesman, Col Rajesh Kalia, Beigh was unarmed and on 12 days’ leave to celebrate Eid with his family. He is survived by his wife, two sons and a daughter.

Meanwhile, two special operation group (SOG) personnel of the J&K police have gone missing along with their service rifles and ammunition from District Police Lines (DPL), Pulwama, south Kashmir, officials said on Thursday. Official sources said SPOs Shabir Ahmad of Tujan, Pulwama, and Salman Ahmad Uthmula of Shopian, who were posted at DPL Pulwama, have been missing since last night.

A police officer said the two SPOs are believed to have fled with their service rifles and ammunition. “An investigation has been launched,” the official said.

In another incident, one militant was killed on Thursday in a gunfight with security forces in Panjran village, Pulwama. The gunfight broke out after a joint team from the Army’s 44 RR, SOG and CRPF launched cordon-and-search operations in the area. Intense clashes between stone-pelters and security forces occurred after the the Army launched an operation against terrorists hiding in the area. The exchange of fire was still on when reports last came in.