One holded up ultra killed, LeT claims two more escaped

Srinagar, Nov 9 (UNI) One of the two fidayeen (members of suicide squad) holed up in a hotel at Sopore in north Kashmir district of Baramulla since last evening has been killed.

The gunbattle was still on when the reports last came in, a CRPF spokesman told UNI.

However, a spokesman of the Pakistan based Lashker-e-Toiba (LeT) claimed that two militants managed to escape and reached their hideout safely while two others are still fighting security forces.

The CRPF spokesman said Inspector General of CRPF (Kashmir range) M S Gupta was also present on the spot.

He said there were about 16 rooms in the three-storey hotel building and the holed up militant was still firing, continuosly changing his position.

A team of security forces tried to storm the building, but the militant opened fire in which a jawan was critically wounded, he said.

A small hut near the hotel was damaged in the encounter.

He said the encounter ensued yesterday evening when a group of militants in police uniform entered a hotel at Sopore, about 55 km from here after firing at a Road Opening Party (ROP) of 177 battalion.

After continued firing from the militants holed up inside the hotel, reinforcements were rushed to the area from nearby camps and the cordon around the building was further tightened.

Sharp shooters have taken position around the hotel and all escape routes are sealed.

One of the jawan of 179 battalion was injured in the gunbattle, the spokesman said.

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