3 HM militants hold up inside Mosque; 3 hostages released, 5 still in captivity
By News Agency of Kashmir
Srinagar : Amid release of three captives by Hizbul Mujahideen militants, who are holdup inside a Jamia Masjid – the hostage drama continues for the second consecutive day today in Kulgam district of South Kashmir.
Reports reaching here revealed that district administration and security forces have been persuading the hold up militants, through locals, to lay down arms. The attempts did not yield any result today but authorities managed to get release of three hostages, reports added.
Sources told News Agency of Kashmir that militants, number three, took hostage inside Jamia Masjid Palnoo falling under the jurisdiction of police station Yaripora, Kulgam when 62 RR and Jammu and Kashmir police launched a house to house search operation in the area on Sunday afternoon.
Militants opened fire on the search party injuring a solider and a civilian, official sources said adding, militants later took shelter in the mosque and also took hostage some civilians, out of which three were released today.
“We are taking restrain and trying to persuade militants for surrender”, a senior police officer told NAK, adding, “The civilians living adjoining the mosque have been evacuated safely”.
The civilian, who have been taken as hostage, were identified Abdul Salam son of Muhammad Sultan, Gohar Mir son of Abdul Rasheed, Aijaz Mir son of Ghulam Muhammad, Adil Dar son of Faiyaz Ahmed, Shafeeq Ahmed son of Abdul Rasheed and Showkat Ahmed son of Ghulam Rasool.
Police identified the holed up militants as Shiraz Ahmad Bhat alias Asger S/o Ghulam Hassan of Braihard Katpora, Mudasir Ahmad Mir alias Jehangir son of Abdul Gani of Kanjikola and Ishfaq Ahmad Wagay son of Abdul Hamid of Batapora Hangol Buch.
Sources said that the authorities offered some food to the hold up militants through locals but the militants refused to take the food and also turned down the surrender offer.