Jammu: Army's Special Forces shot dead the last of the three suspected LeT militants early today and freed seven hostages including four children they seized in a house near here, ending a 19-hours hostage drama which also witnessed the killing of three men captives by the ultras.
"The operation is over. Our Special Forces have killed third militant early today," army spokesman Lieutenant Colonel S D Goswami said.
Goswami said that seven hostages, including four children, their mother who sustained bullet injuries in her leg and two other persons were safe after the prolonged hostage drama and gunbattle between the security forces and militants.
However, three hostages were killed by the militants before the final assault was launched, he said. "The final assault was lunched at 11.45 pm on Wednesday night by the special forces of the army and entire family of the house owner including four children were rescued," he said.
Ashok Kumar, a teacher and the tenant, one territorial army jawan who went inside during the operation and another person were killed, the army spokesman said.
After killing all the militants holed up inside the two-storeyed house at Chinore, 20 kilometers from Jammu city, the army moved in and rescued the hostages.
Thirty five-year-old Sunita Devi, the injured mother of the four children aged between two and nine, was admitted to the Government Medical College Hospital in Jammu.
The children have been identified as Sheetal (9), Vipin (2), Ashad (7) and Kajal (4). Two other captives who were rescued were the house owner's brother and sister-in-law.
Earlier in the evening, security forces killed two of the three militants who were inside the house.
According to defence sources, militants had infiltrated on May 8 from across the international border in Samba sector before they surfaced May 11 morning and killed civilians and soldiers. Three militants were killed in that battle. (PTI)
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