‘Slain Kupwara militants non-local cadre of LeT’

People offer prayers during the funeral of Mohammad Yousuf, a policeman who was killed along with three other security personnel in Halmatpora encounter, at Kachama Kralpora in Jammu and Kashmir’s Kupwara district on March 22, 2018.

The combing operation in north Kashmir’s Kupwara continued for the third day on Thursday, as the police described the five slain militants as “foreigners” and affiliates of the Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT).

“All the slain militants are foreigners and belonged to the LeT. We have recovered a huge cache of arms and ammunition. It was a very difficult operation in view of thick vegetation and open areas,” said Inspector General of Police (IGP)-Kashmir range, S.P Pani.

Five militants and five security forces, including three Army men, were killed in the encounter that started on Tuesday afternoon at Kupwara’s Halmatpora belt.

There were no reports of any firing as the security forces continued to comb the area for the third day on Thursday.

Meanwhile, IGP Pani laid floral tributes on the mortal remains of deceased policeman Deepak Thusoo at the District Police Lines, Srinagar. Two policemen were killed in the encounter.

The Army also paid tributes to the three jawans killed in the encounter. Lieutenant General A.K. Bhatt, 15 Corps Commander, was present on the occasion.

The deceased jawans were identified as Havaldar Jorabar Singh, a resident of Himachal Pradesh; Naik Ranjeet Khalkho, a resident of Jharkhand; and Naik Muhammad Ashraf Rather, a resident of Kralpora, Kashmir.

“The mortal remains of the martyrs were flown for the last rites to their native places, where they would be laid to rest with full military honours. In this hour of grief, the Army stands in solidarity with the bereaved families of the martyrs, and remains committed to their dignity and well-being,” said the Army spokesman.