You could tell from the faces of the Army and police officers that it was all over. More than 24 hours after trapped militants took residents of Tharian village hostage, security forces ended the crisis by securing the release of those held captive — there were six and not 12 as was believed earlier — before blasting the house to kill the two militants inside. There were conflicting versions on how it all ended. While the Army maintained that the hostages were rescued after teargassing the house to leave the militants dazed, CRPF personnel and village residents said the hostages were allowed to walk free. 14 injured in grenade attack in Kulgam SRINAGAR: Fourteen people were injured when militants hurled a grenade at a bus stand in Kulgam area of Anantnag district in south Kashmir on Tuesday. The grenade, tossed at a police team, missed the target and exploded near people waiting for a bus to Shopian. (PTI) A relieved Director General of Police Gopal Sharma, who was present at the spot, said: ‘‘Six civilians were rescued unharmed by the forces in the morning and two Jaish-e-Mohammad militants were killed. One is a foreigner and the other a local militant.’’ It was a standoff till the very end. ‘‘We tried all tactics to tire them out. We used the wireless to send them word that all exit routes had been sealed and there was no way they could escape. It was for them to decide whether to surrender or perish. It probably demoralised them and they eventually released the people they had taken hostage,’’ a CRPF official said. The trapped militants fired the first shot of the day at 6.15 am. ‘‘After the first burst of gunfire, we threw smoke grenades which distracted the militants,’’ said a Brigadier who led the operation. ‘‘Taking advantage of the confusion, three civilians ran out. Another three managed to escape when we fired tear gas. Our special forces moved in to neutralise the militants. They were killed after a brief encounter,’’ the Brigadier said. But residents of the village had a different version. Said Bashir Ahmad of Tharian: ‘‘They (the militants) just told them (those held hostage) to leave. Had the Army made an attempt to storm the house, do you think these men would have emerged unharmed?’’ Villagers were not prepared to lead you to those who had been freed. ‘‘We don’t know where they are,’’ said a village elder. Army maintained that the freed civilians were doing fine.
