AN ARMY commanding officer, a Major and a Deputy Superintendent of Jammu and Kashmir Police were killed in a gunfight with terrorists in the higher reaches of Kokernag area in the south of the valley, officials said here on Wednesday. Colonel Manpreet Singh, Commanding Officer of 19 Rashtriya Rifles, Major Ashish Dhonack, and Deputy Superintendent Humayun Bhat were critically injured in the gunfight with terrorists that ensuedin the Garol area of Anantnag district in the morning hours of Wednesday.The officers succumbed to their injuries during the treatment, they said. Bhat, father of a two month-olddaughterandson of retired Inspector General ofJammu and Kashmir Police Ghulam Hasan Bhat, died due toheavy bloodloss, they added.

 

The banned Resistance Front,believedto be a shadow group of Pakistan-based Lashker-eToiba, has claimed responsibility for the attack. Officials believe that it is thesamesetofterroristswho hadcarriedoutthe attackon army personnel on August 4 killing three jawans in the higher reaches of the Halan forest area of Kulgam district. The operation against the terrorists began on Tuesday eveninginGarolareabutwas called off during the night. This morning,the hunt for the terrorists resumed after information started trickling that they were spotted at a hideout, the officials said. Colonel Singh, leading his team from the front,attacked the terrorists.

 

However, the terrorists fireduponhimand he was critically injured. Major Ashish and DSP Bhat were also hit by bullets resulting in critical injuries, they said. Senior army and police officers, GoC 15 Corps Lt General Rajiv Ghai and including DGP Dilbag Singh rushed to the spot to assess the situation. WARLIKE STORES, MEDICINES WITH PAKISTAN MARKINGS RECOVERED: Security forces have recoveredlargequantityofwarlike stores, including medicines, with Pakistan markings during a search amid the encounter that continuedon Wednesday evening according to officials. The Defence PRO, Lt Col Suneel Bartwal said that Indian Army and Jammu and Kashmir police tracked the movement of two terrorists since September 7.