Srinagar, Mar 09: Two Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) militants were killed in an encounter with security forces in Shopian district of south Kashmir on Monday, police said, adding that three ‘militant associates’ of the Hizbul Mujahideen outfit were arrested from Awantipura area of Pulwama district..
Security forces launched a cordon-and-search operation in Khojpora village in the Reban area of the south Kashmir district during the night after receiving information about the presence of militants there, a police spokesman said.
He said the search operation turned into an encounter after the militants fired upon the forces personnel.
Two militants were killed in the gunfight, the spokesman said, adding their bodies were retrieved from the encounter site.
The slain militants have been identified as Shabir Ahmad Malik alias Abu Maviya, a resident of Tungduno Yaripora Kulgam, who had been active since December 2017; and Amir Ahmad Dar, a resident of Wadina Melhoura, who had joined militancy in 2019.
Malik, police said, was involved in various militancy-related cases in south Kashmir.
The spokesman said during the search at the encounter site, one AK-47, one under-barrel grenade launcher, one AK-47 magazine, one Chinese pistol, one magazine of Chinese pistol and five nine mm live rounds were recovered.
A case has been registered and further investigation taken up in the matter, he added.
Meanwhile, police on Monday also claimed to have arrested three “militant associates” of the Hizbul Mujahideen outfit from Awantipura area of Pulwama district.
Police identified the arrested trio as Aadil Rasool Ganie, a resident of Batagund, and Riyaz Ahmad Bhat and Mohammad Isaq Bhat – both residents of Tral Payeen.
“They were involved in providing shelter, logistics and other kind of support to militants operating in the areas of Tral,” a police official said.
He said a case has been registered and further investigation is underway.
