Army Major, top HM commander killed, 450 ultras active in S Kashmir

Srinagar, Nov 28 (UNI) An Army Major and a top Hizbul Mujahideen (HM) commander were killed and a soldier injured in a fierce gun battle in south Kashmir early today, a senior official said.

Officiating GOC Victor Force Brigadier A K Singh said 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 a particular house. However, when the owner of the house 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 the militant, Brig Singh said.

Later, Major Pritamber breathed his last before being admitted to a hospital and Naik Rakesh was taken to hospital and is out of danger.

The officiating GOC said Mohammad Ashraf Shah alias 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 are 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 spoksman 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.

UNI BAS PA SSC1358