2 Pak militants, SPO killed in Valley

26 December 2004
The Daily Excelsior
Daily Excelsior Correspondent

Jammu: Security forces have eliminated two militants in a gunbattle in Ganderbal area and unidentified gunmen, believed to be militants, have shot dead a Special Police Official (SPO) in Bandipore since last evening. Informed sources said that on the basis of a specific information, troops conducted a search operation in Tsoonthwaliwaar area of Ganderbal-Lar belt during last night. During the operation, two holed up militants were detected at a particular hideout. Troops laid a tight cordon around the hideout and directed the militants to come out for surrender. The militants instead opened fire. In retaliation, troops destroyed the hideout, killing both the militants. They were unidentified but, on the basis of recoveries from the hideout, officials claimed that they were Pakistani members of Lashkar-e-Toiba. Reports from Bandipore said that unidentified gunmen, believed to be militants, appeared at Sumlar and they shot dead one SPO, namely Ghulam Nabi Khan of the same village.