Sixteen militants killed in a week in J-K

REASI - Security forces have gunned down all 16 militants, who infiltrated in Jammu and Kashmir’s Rajouri District this week.

“All 16 militants of a group that infiltrated into Rajouri district have been gunned down in gun battles,” said DK Choudhary, Commandant of 152 Battalion of Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF).

“Seven soldiers were also killed in the various encounters,” he added.

The Rajouri operations began on March 27, when the security forces got information that some militants had managed to infiltrate into the Indian Territory and were hiding in the nearby forest.

“During these operations we had encounters with these militants in which we have eliminated, neutralized 16 of them. At the end of the last encounter in which the complete group which had infiltrated has been eliminated,” said Choudhary.

A huge cache of sophisticated arms and ammunition, satellite phones, currency notes and mobile phones with SIM cards of Pakistani origin were seized.

“The SIM cards that we have recovered have Pakistani marking. The first thing is that it shows Pakistan’s involvement in it. Secondly, it has not happened for the first time, whenever they (militant) infiltrate they carry such things,” said Choudhary.

Security personnel gunned down two militants in Rajouri district on Friday morning.

Two Laskar-e-Toiba militants were killed earlier on March 27 during a fierce gun battle with police and security forces in Baji Mahal forest of Kalakote in Rajouri district here.

Earlier on February 15, the security forces gunned down a top militant of Hizbul Mujahideen terror outfit after a prolonged encounter at Bagla Forest of Triyath region in Rajouri district. (ANI)