Srinagar, Mar 17: The body of another militant was today recovered from the site of yesterday’s encounter in Pulwama district of south Kashmir, taking the number of militants killed in the gunfight to three, police said.
The encounter broke out after an unsuccessful bid by the militants to snatch the weapon of personal security guard of BJP leader Anwar Khan, at Balhama on Thursday.
“While concluding the search and sanitisation of the operation site, police recovered the body of the third militant. He has been identified as Abu Hamas – a foreign militant,” a police spokesperson said.
Officials said after the encounter ended, the area was sealed to carry out further searches in the debris of the damaged houses at the encounter site.
“The police started a sanitisation operation in which the area was to be cleared of any unexploded shells/mines after the encounter ended. In this process, the teams of police and other security forces, including the bomb disposal squad, were put on the job,” the spokesperson said.
Earlier two militants — Owais Ahmad of Nowdal Tral and Shabir Ahmad of Awantipora — were killed in the gunfight that began on Thursday afternoon after militants attacked the policemen guarding a Bharatiya Janata Party leader Anwar Khan.
A policeman was also injured in the attack.
Meanwhile, a youth was critically injured when a tear-gas shell hit him during protests at Balhama today.
Reports said clashes erupted in the area after a body of third militant was recovered from the debris of a house which was gutted during the gunfight between militants and government forces.
Reports said a youth was hit by teargas shell in his abdomen after forces resorted to heavy teargas shelling and aerial firing to disperse the protesters.
The injured was identified as Farman Ahmad of Balhama and was shifted to Sub District hospital Pampore. Clashes were going on in the area when reports last came in.
Militants fire at Shopian’s SSP cavalcade
Srinagar, Mar 17: Suspected militants today attacked a senior police officer’s cavalcade in south Kashmir’s Shopian district, but there was no loss of life, police said.
Reports said that militants opened fire on the bullet-proof vehicle of Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) Shopian A S Dinkar near Hajipora on Kulgam-Shopian road as he was heading towards Behibagh in Kulgam district to attend an army function.
Police spokesman said the firing was retaliated by police personnel, forcing the militants to flee.
There are no reports of loss of life on either side, officials said, adding that the area has been cordoned off by the government forces.
