Second gunfight in south Kashmir amid Rajnath’s Valley visit

A day after a top Jaish-e-Mohammad commander was killed along with his two associates, three militants were killed in an encounter in Shopian district of south Kashmir on Saturday, the police said.

Defence Minister Visits J&K Post, Pats Jawans

Defence Minister Rajnath Singh on Saturday visited a forward post in Kupwara where he lauded the soldiers for ensuring peace and security in the Kashmir valley

The minister was accompanied by Chief of Defence Staff Gen Bipin Rawat and Army Chief Gen MM Naravane

An Army statement said, “The minister reviewed the situation along the Line of Control in the Keran sector. He appreciated the soldiers’ dedication and vigilance”

The gunfight took place on a day when Union Defence Minister Rajnath Singh was on a two-day visit to Kashmir and Ladakh. It erupted at Amshipora village in Shopian on Saturday morning when joint forces were laying a cordon in an orchard following an input about the presence of militants.

“The security forces were fired upon from the cowshed of the lone house in the orchard. In the gunfight three terrorists were killed,” the Army said in Srinagar.

A police officer said the identification of three militants is yet to be done. “The identities of three are not known as yet. The postmortem has been done and DNA samples have been taken,” the officer said.

This is the second gunfight in south Kashmir since Friday. Three militants, including a Pakistani Jaish commander, believed to be an IED expert, were killed in a gunfight in Kulgam on Friday.

Courtesy: Daily Tribune:  19th July, 2020