Srinagar, Mar 4, : The initial period of this year in Kashmir witnessed 60 casualties of government forces personnel.
At least 104 persons including 37 militants have been killed till first week of March. Besides 37 militants, 10 soldiers, 5 policemen, 44 troopes, a BSF man and 7 civilians have lost life in conflict torn Jammu and Kashmir.
As per the data available with news agency, 37 militants were killed in 17 encounters that raged in different parts of Kashmir including Gulshanpora Tral, Aripal Tral, Choudarybagh Pulwama, Khatpora Kulgam, Hafat Nallah Charar-e-Sharif, Shirmal Shopian, Binnar Baramulla, Drabgam, Chakoora, Kelam Kulgam, Ratnipora Pulwama, Gopalpora Chadoora, Pinglen Pulwama, Warpora Sopore, Tarigam Kulgam, Meemandar Shopian and Babagund Handwara.
Nine among the 37 slain militants were non-locals.
Besides top militant commander Zeenat-ul-Islam, others who were killed included Shakoor Ahmed Parrey of Laribal Tral, Touseef Ahmed Thokar and Zubair Ahmed Bhat both residents of Chursoo Awantipora, Shakeel Ahmed Dar of Chilipora Shopian, Sabzar Ahmed of Lassipora, Syed Rabani of Nazneenpora Shopian,Touseef Ahmed of Nowpora Payeen Pulwama, Dr Shamsul Haq Mengnoo alias Burhan Sani of Dragad, Aamir Ahmed Bhat alias Abu Hauzif of Chidipora, Shohaib Ahmed Shah of Shirmal Shopian, Suhaib Farooq Akhoon of Khanpora Baramulla, Mohsin Mushtaq Bhat of Qazi Hamam Baramulla, Nasir Amed Darzi of Batapora Sopore and Saqib Shafi and Inayat Abdullah Zargar of Arihal, Shahid Mushtaq Baba of Drabgam, Irfan Ahmed Sheikh of Chakoora Pulwama, Waseem Bashir Rather of AshmujiKulgam; Zahid Parray of Gopalpora, DH Pora Kulgam; Idrees Bhat of Arwani Bijbehara in Anantnag district; Aaqib Nazir of Zongal PoraKulgam, Parvaiz Bhat of NuksanPora, Qaimoh Kulgam, Hilal Ahmed Rather of Begumbagh Kakapora, Hilal Ahmad Wani son of Muhammad Akram Wani a resident of Yaripora, Shoaib Ahmed Lone alias Mursi son of Late Arshad Hussain of Okay Kulgam, Adil Ahmed of Gundipora Kakapora, Hilal Ahmed Naikoo of Pinglena, Rakib Ahmad Sheikh of Shungipora Kulgam, Suhail Nazir Mir of Saidpora Shopian and Ishfaq Majeed of Bratkalan Sopore
Suspected militants carried out 16 grenade attacks on security pickets. A couple of IED blast also rocked some areas, the most lethal one was at Lethpora Pulwama that left over 40 CRPF personnel dead.
As per the data available four government forces personnel including a policeman committed suicide till first week of March. They include CRPF man Mukesh Bhawuk (24 Battalion), army soldier Abishekh Roy Kumar and police head constable Muhammad Shafi Mir of Sadoora Kulgam and soldier Sandeep Singh of Punjab.
Unlike previous year, no rifle snatching or bank robbery incidents occurred in the current year. (CNS)
