Srinagar: Two militants including a Pakistani national were killed in an encounter with security forces that broke out on Tuesday night in Budgam district of central Kashmir, police said.
Security forces launched a cordon-and-search operation at Mochowah in Chadoora area of Budgam district around 7 pm on Tuesday following information about the presence of militants there, a police official said.
He said the search operation turned into an encounter around 9 pm after militants opened fire at security forces positions.
Two militants were killed in the gunbattle, which lasted nearly four hours.
Police identified the slain militants as Ilyas, a Pakistani national, and the second one as Javaid Ahmed from Pulwama.
Meanwhile, police today said that this year eight militants have surrendered in live encounters across Kashmir of which five surrenders took place in the month of October alone.
Talking to reporters in Srinagar, Inspector General of Police (IGP) Kashmir, Vijay Kumar said this year surrenders have taken place during live encounters as well. “This year so far eight surrenders took place in live encounters in the valley of which five militants surrendered in the month of October alone,” the IGP said, and termed it a “welcome development.”
He reiterated his appeal to the new militant recruits to return and join the mainstream.
To query that encounters are taking place in Srinagar and city outskirts, he said it was because of the “smooth flow of intelligence inputs and other technical information”.
“Srinagar police comes to know about the militant movement here instantly as police has a good network in the city,” Kumar said.
About today’s encounter at Mochwa area of central Kashmir’s Budgam, the IGP said that acting on a specific input, police along with army and the CRPF laid a siege in the area and during the searches, militants fired at the forces triggering a gunbattle yesterday evening.
“Today, morning two militants including a Pakistani militant Ilyas were killed. Second slain has been identified as Javaid Ahmed from Pulwama,” he said.
“We gave full opportunity to militants who were trapped at Mouchwa to surrender. However, they refused,” the IGP said.
“We give ample time to local boys, once they get trapped in encounters, to lay their weapons. I once again appeal parents to urge their children, who have picked up arms, to return to the mainstream and live with their families again,” the IGP said.
