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Badgam shrine siege ends: 3 holed up militants killed

Mukhtar Ahmad In Srinagar

The siege around the shrine at Goigam in central Budgam district ended late on Monday evening, after security forces gunned down the three holed up militants.

"The operation is over. Three militants, including the wanted militant, Mustaffa Khan were gunned down by the security forces. Killing of Mustaffa is a big achievement. He was involved in several attacks on the security forces," Ashok Bhan, the Kashmir Range Police Chief, told rediff.com.

Bhan said the shrine and the adjoining mosque were safe. He said, "The security forces did not enter the shrine."

However, sources said the security forces entered the shrine premises and fired rifle grenades and teargas shells to flush out the militants. The outer wall of the shrine was damaged during the operation, the sources added.

Earlier, security forces on Monday morning on a specific lead laid a siege around the shrine.

The militants holed up inside the mosque opened fire from automatic weapons on the troops outside.

The security forces also returned the fire. The heavy exchange of fire continued throughout the day.

Police sources said one army officer received injury in the heavy firing exchange and was shifted to the hospital.

The army and the Border Security Force in the evening replaced the Special Operations Group and the paramilitary Central Reserve Police Force, which had laid the siege during the wee hours of this morning.

In the morning, one militant was killed, another wounded in the exchange of fire.

It may be mentioned that on June 12 this year troops and commandos stormed a mosque at village Shangus in southern Anantnag district and killed six militants.

Earlier in May two militants holed up in a mosque at Shopian were given safe passage by the authorities after a siege laid by the army was lifted.

EARLIER REPORT:
1 militant killed, 3 holed up in Badgam shrine

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