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Pampore Encounter 3rd day: 2 terrorists killed, combing operations on

By FnF Defence Correspondent | PUBLISHED: 12, Oct 2016, 11:18 am IST | UPDATED: 12, Oct 2016, 11:18 am IST

Pampore Encounter 3rd day: 2 terrorists killed, combing operations on Srinagar: The standoff between security forces and the militants holed up inside the Entrepreneurship Development Institute (EDI) complex in Pampore entered third day on Wednesday, even as the body of a militant was recovered from the besieged building.

“We have entered the building to clear rooms. Body of one militant has been recovered,” director general of police (coordination), SP Vaid told the HT.

He said the forces were now going for the final assault.

A second terrorist has been killed by the security forces in ongoing encounter in Pampore that entered its third day today. One militant was killed yesterday evening.

Combing operations by the security forces are underway
The body of the militant killed yesterday is yet to be recovered from the encounter site.

Meanwhile, security forces have entered the first floor of the 7-storey EDI building and are clearing one room after another as the building could not collapse despite the IED blasts.

The hostel building, in which the militants are holed up since Monday morning, has around 60 rooms and the forces had decided to wait patiently for the gunmen to exhaust their ammunition.

“We are not receiving any fire from the militants now. The final position will be cleared once we search the whole building,” Vaid said.

Local residents said they heard heavy blasts intermittently throughout the night, creating panic.

Eyewitnesses said that security forces fired many rounds in the morning targeting the seven-storey hostel building of the complex.

The security forces were exercising utmost caution as three special forces personnel, two CRPF men and a civilian lost their lives during the 50-hour standoff at the institute in February. Then, the attackers had captured the main office block, close to the highway.

The latest attack once again raised questions about security in and around the complex.

After the February attack, tenders were floated to build bunkers around the complex. But the work is yet to begin. A tin fence, erected on the front, was all that the authorities did to secure the complex after the incident.

Two to three militants stormed into the EDI complex in the wee hours on Monday and took positions inside one of the buildings.

The ultras could have entered the complex from the riverside after travelling by boat but that can only be ascertained once the operation is over, the officials said.

After getting inside the complex, the militants set on fire few mattresses inside a hostel room to attract the attention of the police and other security forces, which arrived within minutes of the smoke emanating from the building.

In the initial exchange of firing, one army soldier was injured, the officials said.

The security forces on Monday used mortar shells, Light Machine Guns and other small arms to flush out the militants.

Militants had targeted the EDI building in February this year as well.

Five security force personnel including two young army officers and a civilian employee of the Institute and three militants were killed in that operation which lasted 48 hours.

The Jhelum flows behind the complex. The riverside is not properly fenced giving easy access to anybody coming by boat to enter the institute. The militants apparently did precisely that.

Why was security not tightened?

“We are not a security installation. Just as in case of a college or a university, one can’t expect us to turn this space into a garrison,” an EDI official said.

A security official echoed similar views, saying there were limits to deployment of security personnel outside an educational institute — which means, fewer guards were around.

Because of the ongoing unrest in the Kashmir Valley, there were no students in the building when the attackers entered the hostel.

The valley has been witnessing violent public protests ever since the killing of Hizbul Mujahideen commander Burhan Wani in July.
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