SRINAGAR: At least 20 houses were gutted in a fire which broke out during a cordon and search operation by the Army and Le Border Security Force in Anantnag town of South Kashmir.
Police sources said a junior the troops, carrying out raids in commissioned officer was killed and two soldiers were wounded when in the town, came under fine from the militants at Dangerpora Two civilians were also injured in the hospital, Reinforcements were the exchange of fire, one of whom. Mohammad Ismail, later died in.
Unofficial reports said the troops allegedly to the area which was sealed for a thorough combing operation. troops allegedly resorted to arson in retaliation against the casualties indicted by the militants. However an official spokesman said the blaze was caused by the exchange He militants. He said the fire was first noticed in one house, but as it spread to the next house, which be conflagration belonged to a militant. Explosives stored there went off causing a conflagration.
Meanwhile, the Amy withdrew its cordon around Lavre-Jagir village in neighboring Pulwama district. The combing operation in the village continued for three days despite a devastating fire in which scores of houses were destroyed.
Earlier several thousand people staged protest demonstrations at Tral town against the long siege of the villages.
An official spokesman said here that in the troops arrested one militant and recovered an AK Hic from him. The villagers alleged that the Amy had set fire to their houses. They denied the official version that the fire had broken out during cross fire between the militants and the troops.
The villagers also reported the death of two civilians during the three-day operation.
Article extracted from this publication >> January 20, 1995
