At least two personnel of the Special Operation Group of Jammu and Kashmir personnel were killed and more than 35 houses were reduced to ashes at main market Tral following an encounter between the security forces and militants, about 40 km from Srinagar, in south Kashmir on Sunday night. Official sources told news persons that two SOG personnel were killed on the spot and another was injured after militants attacked a patrol party of SOG near main Tral, about 40 km from in Srinagar, in Pulwama district of south Kashmir on Saturday night. Eyewitnesses told a group of reporters this morning that SOG later set on fire the main market and fired hundreds of rounds.
They said more than 35 shops were gutted and two shopkeepers received burn injuries as they could not come out of their shops because of firing by SOG personnel. The fire was still smouldering. A total shutdown has been observed in Tral and other adjoining villages on Sunday in protest against the SOG setting the shops on fire.
Pro-Pakistani outfit Hizbul Mujahideen has claimed responsibility for the attack.
A spokesman of the outfit told local journalists that four SOG men were killed and militants also took away the weapons of the deceased SOG personnel. Bureau Report