Army Major, top HM commander among 4 killed,6 tourists injured in JK

Srinagar, Nov 28 (UNI) An Army Major and a top Hizbul Mujahideen (HM) commander were among four people killed while 13 others, including six tourists were injured in Jammu and Kashmir overnight.

Officiating GOC Victor Force Brigadier A K Singh told reporters at the headquarters of 15 corps here that information was received early this morning about the presence of some top militant in a particular house at Bijbehara, about 47 km from here in south Kashmir district of Anantnag.

Troops led by Major Pritamber of 3 Para cordoned off the area and searched the house. However, when the owner denied the presence of any militant inside, troops left the house.

But as the troops were moving out, the militant hiding inside opened fire causing injuries to Major Pritamber and Naik Rakesh.

The Major also retaliated and killed Mohammad Ashraf Shah alias Suhail Fazal of Hizbul Mujahideen, Brig Singh said.

Major Pritamber breathed his last before being admitted to a hospital while Naik Rakesh was said to be out of danger.

The officiating GOC said Suhail Fazal, a local resident, had joined militancy in 1990. He was made District Commander of Poonch in 2002 after his return from Pakistan.

However, after the death of Shabir Bagori, Divisional Commander of HM in 2004, Suhail replaced him. He was made Chief Operational and Divisional Commander of HM in south Kashmir.

Brig Singh said Suhail mastermined all the IED and other blasts in south Kashmir, particularly on the Srinagar-Jammu National Highway.

Describing it a major blow to HM, he said Suhail was the only commander of this rank in the south Kashmir, as per intelligence reports.

He said about 350 to 450 militants were active in south Kashmir.

About the casualties being suffered by the Army in the recent operations, Brig Singh said it was to avoid the civilians losses.

The last one week witnessed stepped up violence in the Kashmir valley in which seven security personnel, including a Junior Commissioned Officer (JCO) and four militants were killed.

Meanwhile, chairman of the breakaway Hurriyat Conference (HC) Syed Ali Shah Geelani and other senior leaders of the amalgam left for Bijbehara to participate in the funeral of HM commander.

A spokssman of the HC said the meeting of the 'majlis shoura', the highest decision making body of the HC, which was scheduled to be held in the day has been postponed after the killing the HM commander.

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