6 more ultras behind Sikh carnage shot dead

6 more ultras behind Sikh carnage shot dead
PRESS TRUST OF INDIA

Srinagar, March 29: Six more militants accused of the massacre of 35 Sikhs in Chattisinghpora were killed in an armed clash with security forces at Kokernag in Kashmir's Anantnag district today, a defence ministry spokesman said.

The militants affiliated to the banned Hizbul Mujahideen and Lashkar-e-Toiba outfits were killed by the Army in a joint operation with Special Operations Group (SOG) of the local police at Hallan-Drawai village, 12 km south east of Chattisinghpora, IGP A K Bhan said here.

Bhan said the operation in Kokernag area was launched following specific information about presence of militants in the village.

However, a defence ministry spokesman said the success was achieved following information received through reliable sources regarding the movement of militants from Kuthar Valley.

The operation sparked off a fierce encounter between the hidden militants and the joint search parties and in the ensuing gun-battle which lasted many hours, six militants were killed, the police officer said.

Five of the killed militants have been identified as Manzoor Ahmad, a top militant of Hizbul Mujahideen hailing from Nar-Sangar village of Anantnag and foreign mercenaries Shaheen bhai, Rahman bhai, Qari bhai and Hamza Bhai of Pakistan-based LET outfit. The identity of the sixth militant is being ascertained, the IGP said.

He said a Universal machine gun, four AK series rifles, a pistol, two wireless sets, hand grenades and rifles were recovered from the deceased.

In another encounter in South Kashmir, a local militant and a security personnel were killed and two jawans wounded in Pahalgam area of Anantnag district today.

The encounter took place when security forces raided a militant hideout and asked the ultras to surrender, official sources said.

The militants opened fire on the search parties resulting in the killing of a jawan and injuries to two others, the sources said.

They said the forces returned the fire which damaged the house in which the militants had taken shelter.

Body of a militant identified as Ghulam Qadir Banday was recovered from the debris of the house along with an AK assault rifle and some ammunition, the sources said.

The troops have so far recovered Four AK-47 rifles, one Universal machine gun and a pistol, defence sources said here.

The sources said some more arms would be recovered afterthe encounter, which was still going on till reports last came in, ended.

Ex-gratia for victims

Chandigarh: The Haryana Government has announced an ex-gratia of Rs one lakh each to the next of kin of the 35 Sikhs gunned down by militants at Chattisinghpora village. An official release here today said the announcement was made by Chief Minister Om Prakash Chautala while chairing a meeting of the state-level committee constituted to celebrate the tercentenary of the birth of Khalsa at Yamunanagar last evening.