Srinagar, May 5: An Indian army officer and a soldier were killed in a militant attack in Indian Kashmir on Tuesday.

Lt Col J S Brar, Indian army spokesman in Srinagar, the summer capital of Indian Kashmir while giving details said army men launched a combing operation in forest area of Chittibandi, Bandipora, some 45 kms north of Srinagar in the early hours of today after receiving intelligence input that a group of militants were hiding there.

“As the soldiers were moving towards the area, they came under heavy fire from militants hiding in the area. The fire was returned by the soldiers and in the encounter, an army official and a soldier were critically injured. They were evacuated to military hospital, where both of them succumbed to injuries,” he said.

Identifying the deceased as Major Yogendra Rajbar and Rifleman Uttam Singh, the army spokesman said the combing operation to flush out the militants was going on.

“The operation is going on snail’s pace as the area is mountainous and forest area. Besides, it has been raining heavily in the area from last two days,” he said.

Sources said more soldiers have been rushed to the area to track down the militants, who might have escaped into the dense forest area after carrying out the attack.

Although no militant group has owned the responsibility of the attack, police believe that the ambush may have either been carried by Pakistan based militant group Lashkar-e-Toiba or pro-Pakistan militant outfit Hizbul Mujahideen.

The attack came a day after militants attacked a paramilitary soldiers picket in the city centre, injuring a civilian.

National Turk India Kashmir – Faiz Ahmad

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