Militants Flee After Gunfight In Beerwah Budgam

Srinagar: Militants managed escape after a fire fight in which a Special Police Officer (SPO) of police was killed while a policeman was injured in Beerwah area of central Kashmir’s Budgam district.

Official sources told GNS that there was a lull after initial gunfight. Subsequently, they said, searches were launched but no contact with the militants was re-established, suggesting that they have fled away.

Inspector General of Police for Kashmir Zone Vijay Kumar said while the militants have managed to escape in injured condition, their blood trace has been followed to another village some two kilometres away from the encounter site. The area has been cordoned off, he added.

Earlier an SPO, Altaf Ahmad, was killed and a policeman identified as Manzoor Ahmad (selection grade constable) was injured in the gunfight which had ensued after a joint team of Police and army launched a cordon and search operation amid specific information about the presence of the militants in Beerwah. As soon the joint team approached the suspected spot, the hiding militants fired upon the forces, triggering off the gunfight, they added. (GNS)