DIG South Kashmir Amit Kumar airlifted to AIIMS for treatment

DIG (South Kashmir) Amit Kumar, who was injured in the abdomen during an encounter in Pulwama district, was Saturday airlifted to AIIMS for treatment, officials said.

Kumar received a gunshot wound in the abdomen on February 18 in the encounter in Pulwama's Pinglan area, about 12-km from where a suicide bomber belonging to the Jaish-e-Mohammed drove his explosive-laden vehicle into a CRPF bus on February 14, killing 40 personnel.

"He was airlifted to the All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) for further treatment," officials said.

Union Minister of State for Home Kiren Rijiju visited him at the hospital, they said.

The Pinglan encounter had claimed the lives of four Army personnel, a civilian and two Jaish-e-Mohammed terrorists, including the mastermind of February 14 terror attack.

The slain soldiers were Major V S Dhondial, Havaldar Sheo Ram and Sepoys Hari Singh and Ajay Kumar.

The slain terrorists were identified as Kamran, a Pakistani national and top commander of the Jaish, and Hilal Ahmad, a local recruited by the terror group.

The injured included DIG Kumar, who was shifted to Army hospital, and a Brigade Commander who was hurt in the leg.

Security forces had launched a cordon and search operation during the night after receiving inputs about the presence of militants in the Pinglan area.

Militants fired at forces as the searches got underway, triggering a gun battle.