J&K: Terrorists killed in encounter at pampore

Srinagar :-Almost 3 terrorists have been killed at Pampore of Jammu and Kashmir in encounter between the Army and militants on Monday evening. Major General Arvind Dutta informed media after ending the operation, "It was a successful operation. Search operation is continuing. They were identified as foreign terrorists. I salute the martyrs; the bravery was admirable." The army holed up the terrorists  in a government building in Pampore area on Srinagar-Jammu National Highway as the main target was to avoid further casualty to security forces. As the operation against the ultras entered the third day, General Officer Commanding of the Srinagar-based Chinar Corps, Lt Gen Satish Dua, told reporters here, “There is no time limit. There is no hurry. Our main purpose is to make sure that we do not have any more casualty. We will take as long as it takes to clear the building.” “Two main buildings have been cleared and now the terrorists have taken position in the (third) building. It is a huge campus of 15 acres. It has three main buildings apart from a couple of other ancillary buildings. “This main building is four floors and a cafeteria or a canteen on top. It has 40-50 rooms, not counting the smaller rooms and toilets, and an area of 10,000 square feet. So, each of the floors has to be cleared room by room. So, specialised units are required to clear it,” Dua said. “As of now, we do not have any identification. It is still a work in progress,” he said. Earlier, the army paid floral tributes to the two army men killed in the encounter yesterday. The wreath laying ceremony was held at the army’s Badami Bagh headquarters here, where the army commander, along withDirector General of Jammu and Kashmir Police, K Rajendra, paid floral tributes to the brave hearts. “Lance Naik Om Prakash and Captain Tushar Mahajan fell to the militants’ bullets yesterday. It only goes to show that our young officers are brave young leaders who always lead from the front. We are sad at the loss but these young lads have done the army and the nation proud,” Dua said. “Both the fathers are school teachers and they were very proud of their sons. To get such a reaction from a father when he gets such news, is something that does the nation proud and we can see where these young leaders got the genes of braveryfrom,” the army commander said.