Jammu, May 11 (NAK): A senior politician, his trade unionist wife, a Photojournalist and a solider were among six persons killed and four others including Superintendent of Police (Operations) of Jammu and Kashmir Police and an army Major were injured in a fierce gun battle between militants and army which erupted in Samba sector, about 40 kilometers south of Jammu, winter capital of Jammu and Kashmir, early Sunday morning.
The day long encounter, which started early today, ended late in the evening as security forces managed to rescue 3 hostages including a female and two children in a residential house at Kaili Mandi village near the International Border in Samba sector. Both the militants hiding in a residential house were gunned down by the troops.
Official sources told News Agency of Kashmir that a group of heavily armed militants entered into the residential house of Hoshiar Singh, president International Democratic Party and shot him and his wife dead, while injuring his daughter and another woman.
“The gunmen knocked the door of our house and as soon as my father opened it militants showered on him, killing him on the spot”, Lok Sewak, son of the deceased politican told News Agency of Kashmir adding “My mother went rushing outside and was also shot at”.
Sewak, who confined himself inside a room, said that the suspected militants later shot at his sister and the mother-in-law of later injuring both of them critically.
Police said that Shashi Bala, a senior trade union leader, and her husband Hoshiar Singh were shot dead, while Bindu daughter of Hoshiar Singh and her mother-in-law Asha alias Darshan wife of Avtar Singh of Amritsar were injured.
Sources revealed that the militants, who were three in number, later cam out of the house and dragged the body of the deceased Hoshiar Singh upto the gate of his house. They later took shelter in another house.
Special Operation Group of Jammu and Kashmir police rushed to the spot, soon after it was informed about the presence of the militants in a residential house. A team of SOG, led by SP Operation Mubasir Latifee cordoned off the entire area and the operation team was soon joined by army and BSF, sources told NAK.
A massive gun battle between the two side ensued, while lasted till this evening.
“The entire area was immediately cordoned off and a massive search operation was launched by Jammu and Kashmir police and army”, Deputy Inspector General of police Farooq Khan told News Agency of Kashmir.
Militants fired volley of bullets towards the civilian injuring two of them. Five persons were also taken hostage, who were later rescued by the police.
A Photojournalist, Ashok Sodhi working with a local English Daily, was performing his duties when one of the bullet fired by the hold up militants hit him on his head, killing him on the spot. Another journalist Faheem Tak, news coordinator TAKE One TV, had a close shave when militants fired toward the area where the journalists were taking shelter.
“Sodhi tried to click a picture of the house, where the militants were hiding”, Tak told NAK adding, “He was standing next to me and soon after he raised his head behind the wall militants fired at him killing him on the spot”.
In the ensuing encounter an army Major and three civilians was also injured, while two soldiers lost their lives.
One of the militant tried to escape but was shot dead by the troops. Later SP Operation Mubassir Latifee tried to launch a final assault but came under the range of a grenade fired by the militants.
“Mubassir suffered splinter injuries over his face and hand but was out of danger”, a senior police officer said.
However, late in the evening troops managed to gunned down both the militants, hiding in the house. However, it was believed that one of the militant, who was earlier accompanying the militants, managed to escape from the area but well before the house was cordoned off.
It is pertinent to mention here that BSF on Friday had claimed that it has thwarted an attempt by a group of heavily armed militants to sneak into this side of border from Samba sector. It was being believed that the two hold up militants were part of the same group, who managed their entry to this side of border. (NAK)