The stand off is ongoing at a multistory government building of Entrepreneurship Development Institute (EDI) at Pampore town of Pulwama district, about 24 km south of Srinagar city, the summer capital of Indian-controlled Kashmir.
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“Two of the injured troopers of the 79 Battalion succumbed to their injuries while other injured are being treated in the hospital”, he added.
He said Quick Reaction Teams (QRT) of the police have been kept on standby and personnel at all check posts in the region have been asked to remain alert.
The death of an army special forces officer while fighting militants near Srinagar today has acquired layers of symbolism in connection with the two big controversies facing the Narendra Modi administration.
Among those injured are Constable Rakesh Kumar, Constable Kanhaiya, Constable Sanjeev Kamania, Head Constable Muneem, Constable Thakur, Constable Raju Thakur, Constable Baruna Thakur, Constable J.Negi and Parma Thakur.
So far, six people including a civilian, three army soldiers including two captains, and two paramilitary troopers of the central reserve police force (CRPF) have been killed in this gunfight.
Large number of students and staff were evacuated from the building on Saturday as it was encircled by troops.
After attacking the bus, the guerrillas had entered the JKEDI complex and taken shelter in the multi-storeyed building. The latest attack bore similarities to other militant attacks in India where heavily armed, well-trained men have captured buildings and used them to fight security forces. All the shops and business establishments got shut.
Thirteen CRPF personnel, including an Assistant Commandant, had also sustained injuries in the beginning of the encounter on Saturday.
According to KMS, witnesses said that people took to streets at Nawa Kadal in Srinagar, staged demonstrations after the detention of the youth in the area. “It is an 8 storey building and there are more than more than fifty rooms”.
The region largely shut down last Monday as a general strike was called to protest against the killing of two civilians during a gunbattle between troops and suspected separatist militants.
The heavy exchange of fire was going on till the filing of this report.
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“The officer was an inspiring leader who inspite of being injured earlier in an anti-terrorist operation, went on to volunteer for more operations”.
