Floral tributes to Major, 5 others

SRINAGAR, Nov 5 (PTI) — Amidst blowing of bugle and lowering of arms, Jammu and Kashmir Light Infantry (JKLI) today received the bodies of Defence Public Relations Officer Major Purushotam and five other Army personnel who fell to militants’ bullets inside the Badamibagh cantonment here on Wednesday.

Covered with the national flag, the bodies were received with full military honours and are being flown to Delhi from where they will be sent to their native places, Army sources said.

As the bodies of the soldiers reached the regimental centre of JKLI at Rengreth near here, tears welled up in eyes of those present.

Pallavi, the eight-year-old daughter of Major Purushottam, was seen consoling her mother Lt Col Vatsa V.K.

Lt Col Vatsa described her husband as a brave soldier who died for the country.

Family members of the deceased soldiers and a large number of media persons, close to the DPRO, were present when Major General R.K. Mukherjee of 15th Corps laid a wreath on the bodies.

The Jammu and Kashmir Government was represented by Medical Education minister Sheikh Mustafa Kamal. Divisional Commissioner of Kashmir Khursheed Ahmad Ganai placed a wreath on the behalf of Chief Minister Farooq Abdullah, who is away on an official visit.

3 killed in shootout at exam centre

SRINAGAR, Nov 5 (PTI) — Two policemen, including an Assistant Sub-Inspector, were killed when militants attacked a Special Operations Group team on examination duty in Baramula today, official sources said.

The militants stormed into the examination centre set up for class X students in Government School, Wagoora, in the Tangmarg area of Baramulla, about 60 km from here, at 1.30 p.m. and sprayed bullets on the policemen on duty.

Mr Abdul Jabbar, ASI, and constable Ishaq were killed on the spot, the sources said.

The police party returned fire and in the ensuing shootout a civilian was killed and a student seriously injured. The militants fled.

The examination was called off.

The area was sealed off and the security forces launched a search operation.