Indian Army avenges Amarnath yatra attack, wipes out attackers

Srinagar: In a major success, Indian Army gunned down three Lashkar-e-Taiba terrorists in a gunfight that erupted between the security forces and terrorists holed up in a house in Jammu and Kashmir's Kulgam district. A soldier was martyred in the attack.

The terrorists killed in the gunfight were involved in the Amarnath Yatra attack in which seven pilgrims have lost their lives.

"The victims comprised two LeT Pakistani militants identified as Furqan and Maviya and a local terrorist, Yawar who belonged to Qazigund area.

"Another local militant identified as Rashid Alia who had managed to escape with an injury on his hand, was arrested in Anantnag town where he had gone for treatment," the police said.

According to a police official, the gunfight broke out when terrorists fired at an army patrol on the Jammu-Srinagar National Highway in Qazigund area of Kulgam, injuring two soldiers.

After the attack, terrorists entered a private house which was surrounded immediately by the security forces.

Also read: Seven Amarnath pilgrims killed, 12 injured in Kashmir attack

"When the militants were challenged, they fired at the security forces, triggering a gunfight which continued for nearly four hours," police said.

The house in which the terrorists were hiding was fully destroyed during the gunfight.

"With the elimination of Abu Ismail earlier & now these three Abu Mavia , Furkan & Yawar group that attacked Amarnath Yatries is wiped out," tweeted DGP SP Vaid.

Traffic on the Jammu-Srinagar highway remained suspended because of the gunfight. Train service between the Kashmir Valley and Bannihal town in Jammu region was also disrupted.

Meanwhile, Internet services were also suspended in south Kashmir immediately after the gunfight started.