Woman dies, SF operation against holed up LeT militants continues

Srinagar: A woman died in a fierce encounter which ensued between Lashker-e-Toiba (LeT) militants, holed up in a house, and security forces in south Kashmir district of Anantnag today, official sources said. The woman, identified as Tahira, died in the cross fire between militants and security forces, police said. The sources said security forces and Special Operation Group (SOG) of Jammu and Kashmir police launched a search operation in village Bonagam Dayalgam in Anantnag early this morning. However, when the security forces were moving towards a particular area in the village, the militants opened fire with automatic weapons.

The operation is still on, the sources said, adding there could be two to three militants, belonging to Lashkar-e-Toiba (LeT), allegedly involved in the killing of six police personnel, including Station House Officer (SHO) Feroz Ahmad Dar last month, trapped in the village. It is believed that Bashir Lashkeri, who was identified as the main accused in the killing of policemen by Director General of Police Dr S P Vaid, was among the trapped militants. There is an elderly man and woman inside the house where the militants are holed up and efforts are being made to help them to come out, they said. Locals alleged that security forces opened fire and burst teargas shells on people who had gathered outside the cordoned off area.

Meanwhile, massive protests broke out outside the cordoned off areas against the operation. Raising slogans against the security forces, the demonstrators were trying to march towards the area where the militants are holed up. Security forces burst teargas shells and resorted to lathi charge to prevent demonstrators from entering the cordoned off area. Additional security forces have been rushed to the area to prevent people from moving towards the encounter site. (UNI)