Injured soldier succumbs, J&K attack death toll rises to 8

SRINAGAR: A soldier, who was critically injured in Monday’s anti-terror operation in north Kashmir’s Baramulla district, succumbed at Army’s 92 Base hospital in Srinagar on Tuesday, taking the total death toll in the encounter to eight.
An SPO, a soldier, two CRPF constables and three Lashkar-e-Taiba terrorists — including Sajad alias Haider alias Raja, one of Kashmir Valley’s most-wanted commanders — were killed in Monday’s firefight. The operation, which was called off as darkness fell, was resumed early on Tuesday in the orchards of Kreeri where the security forces destroyed a terrorist hideout and retrieved the body of Pakistani terrorist Usman, a defence spokesperson said.
The spokesperson said Usman had taken shelter in the hideout after getting critically injured in the fire exchange, and had later died there. The security forces recovered two AK-47 rifles and three pistols from the spot. The anti-terror operation was called off after a thorough inspection of the area, the spokesperson added.