Kupwara encounter ends; 5 LeT terrorists, 2 soldiers killed

In a major success, army killed five suspected Lashkar-e-Tayiba terrorists while losing two soldiers during an overnight encounter that ended on Saturday in Kupwara district bordering Pakistan-occupied Kashmir.

The encounter in Zonreshi village started on Friday when army launched a search operation following information about presence of some terrorists there, Defence spokesman said on Saturday.

He said as the Army commenced the search of a suspect house, the hiding terrorists resorted to a "heavy volume of fire" and threw grenades.

"Despite the disadvantage of being fired upon by terrorists from the upper floor of the house, the soldiers immediately retaliated," he said.

"As the soldiers engaged the terrorists, additional reinforcement effectively cordoned off the house to prevent escape of the terrorists," he said.

The operation, which concluded on Saturday, led to elimination of five terrorists, the spokesman said, terming it as "yet another major blow to the terror outfits".

"Two Army soldiers also attained martyrdom", he said. They were Naik Shinde Shankar and Gunner Sahadev Maruti More.

Police said four army personnel including a Major, were injured in the operation. The injured have been admitted to a military hospital in Drugmulla.

The defence spokesman did not spell out the identity or group affiliation of the slain terrorists but police sources said they were likely from LeT.

Five AK-47 rifles and a cache of ammunition and other war like stores have been recovered from the site.

The Army spokesman said the force "lost two of its gallant soldiers who were the leading scouts and despite bearing the brunt of the initial volley of fire, stood their ground for each other and the rest of the search team".

Northern Army Commander Lt Gen D S Hooda expressed his condolences to the families of the two soldiers.