JK: Army colonel and major, Dy SP killed in gunfight with terrorists

Col. Manpreet Singh and (right) Deputy Superintendent of Jammu and Kashmir Police Humayun Bhat. Pics/PTI

An Army Colonel commanding a battalion, a Major of a unit and a Deputy Superintendent of Jammu and Kashmir Police were killed in a gunfight with terrorists in the higher reaches of Kokorenag area in the south of the valley, officials said here on Wednesday.

Colonel Manpreet Singh, Commanding Officer of 19 Rashtriya Rifles, Major Ashish Dhonack, and Deputy Superintendent Humayun Bhat were critically injured in the gunfight with terrorists that ensued in the Garol area of Anantnag district in the morning hours of Wednesday.

The officers succumbed to their injuries during the treatment, officials said.

Bhat, father of a two-month-old daughter and son of retired Inspector General of Jammu and Kashmir Police Ghulam Hasan Bhat, died due to heavy blood loss, they added.

Singh, who belonged to 12th Sikh LI, was a recipient of Sena medal. Dhonack belonged to 15th Sikh LI. Dhonack and Bhat were also hit by bullets resulting in critical injuries, the officials said.

The banned Resistance Front, believed to be a shadow group of Pakistan-based Lashker-e-Taiba, has claimed responsibility for the attack.

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Officials believe that it is the same set of terrorists who had carried out the attack on army personnel on August 4 killing three jawans in the higher reaches of the Halan forest area of Kulgam district.

The attack comes a day after an Army personnel and Kent, a six-year-old female Labrador of the Army's dog unit, were killed and three security personnel injured in the gunfight at Rajouri in Jammu region. Two terrorists were killed in an encounter in the remote Narla village. A second terrorist was killed in an encounter with security forces on Wednesday in Rajouri district, officials said.

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