M A I N   N E W S

Major among 11 killed in IED explosion

Srinagar, December 5
In the second major strike this week, militants triggered an IED blast, blowing up an Army patrol vehicle, killing nine soldiers, including a Major, a Special Police Officer (SPO) and a civilian, in Pulwama district of Jammu and Kashmir late last night.

The troops were returning to their camp in a hired vehicle after a counter-insurgency operation when the militants detonated the improvised explosive device (IED) at Naina-Batapora, 40 km from here, DIG (South Kashmir) Ravinder Kotwal said.

The militants had planted the IED in an underground pipe, he said.

The killed included Major Lalit, SPO Imitiaz Ahamed and the driver of the vehicle.

Pro-Pakistan Hizbul Mujahideen claimed responsibility for the blast. The outfit’s spokesman told news organisations here that its activists carried out the attack inflicting casualties on the Army.

He claimed that the militants escaped after taking away six AK assault rifles, a light machine gun and three wireless sets of slain Army personnel.

The DIG said a search party was sent to locate the troops after they did not turn up at the camp from a counter-insurgency operation in the Khanabal area in Anantnag district.

The blast created a 10-feet crater, making it impossible for vehicular traffic to ply on the road, which connected Anantnag and Pulwama districts, the DIG said. — PTI