Kashmir: Security forces-militants gun battle runs into second day

Srinagar: The encounter in Pulwama district of south Kashmir entered the second day today as security forces exchanged fresh fire with holed-up militants in the wee hours. “Fresh firing between the security forces and the holed-up militants took place at around 4.00 AM. Intermittent firing continued for several hours since then,” police sources said. [caption id=“attachment_847259” align=“alignleft” width=“380”]  Representative image. Agencies.[/caption] The security forces have maintained a tight cordon around the militants to prevent them from escaping. The gun-battle broke out in Rajpora area of the district, 45 kms from here, yesterday afternoon when a foot patrol of 44 Rashtriya Rifles came under fire from the militants. A top militant of Jaish-e-Mohammad outfit was killed in the encounter yesterday. A police spokesman said the slain militant has been identified as self-styled divisional commander of JeM Altaf Baba alias Gazi Baba. Baba’s body was retrieved from the encounter site early in the morning and handed over to his family. The spokesman said Baba was involved in several militancy-related incidents including killing and kidnapping of civilians. He was involved in the killing of civilians Nazir Ahmad Chopan and Mohammad Ahsan Wan in Kulgam district. He was also involved in abduction of local Shameem Ahmad Dar, the spokesman said. He said Baba had also carried out several attacks on security forces in Rajpora area. “Baba joined the JeM militant outfit in 2008. He was motivated by Sajad Afgani alias Ahsan Bhai of Pakistan to join militant ranks,” the spokesman said. PTI