A second Army captain from the elite para commandos has been killed as security forces are locked in a fierce encounter with terrorists in Jammu and Kashmir's Pampore. This has taken the death toll to 6.
Early today morning, para commando Captain Pawan Kumar was killed during his elite unit's bid to storm the Jammu and Kashmir Entrepreneurship Development Institute's building.
The encounter between security forces and terrorists in South Kashmir's Pampore has been on for over 24 hours. Security forces are locked in an intense exchange of fire, barely 10 km from the Army's headquarters in Badamibagh, after terrorists ran into a government building on the highway. In pics
The encounter had started after terrorists ambushed a CRPF convoy on the strategic Jammu and Kashmir highway on Saturday evening.
Sources told India Today that the attack was carried out by the fidayeen unit of Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT). The attackers had recently infiltrated into Kashmir from Pakistan occupied Kashmir. Sources have also confirmed that all terrorists are of foreign origin.
Over 60 employees working in the building have been evacuated as a senior official told India Today - that there was no hostage like situation.
At least 120 people including employees and trainees were trapped in the building as militants have occupied it after attacking a Centre Reserve Police Force (CRPF) convoy Srinagar-Jammu highway, police sources said.
The militants attacked CRPF convoy on the highway at Sempora at around 3:30 p.m yesterday.
The father of Captain Pawan Kumar, who laid down his life fighting militants holed up inside a government building in Pampore area on the Srinagar-Jammu National Highway, is proud of the sacrifice made by his only child.
"I had only one child and I gave him to the Army, to the nation. No father can be prouder," Rajbir Singh, the Captain Pawan's father, was d as saying by an Army spokesman.
The 22-year-old officer, hailing from Jind area in Harayana, had joined the Army only three years ago and had recently taken part in two successful operations where three militants were killed, the spokesman said.