Srinagar: An unidentified militant was killed while two soldiers were injured during an encounter between security forces and militants in Shopian district of south Kashmir on Friday, police said.
AS reported earlier, security forces launched a cordon and search operation in Kanigam area of Shopian in south Kashmir following information about the presence of militants in the area past evening.
As the forces were conducting the searches, the militants fired indiscriminately on Friday late evening and the fire was returned by the security forces. One militant was killed and two soldiers sustained injuries, as already reported.
“Due to darkness, the operation was suspended and the whole area was put under strict cordon,” a police spokesman said.
During the wee hours today, the militants were again appealed to surrender, however they turned down the appeal and started firing indiscriminately, police spokesman said in a statement.
He said in the ensuing encounter, two militants were killed and their bodies were retrieved from the site of encounter.
The slain militants were identified as Owais Farooq, resident of Kadlabal Awantipora, and Asif Lone, resident of Turkwangam Shopian. They were affiliated with proscribed outfit Al Badr, spokesman said.
He said as per police records, both the killed militants were part of the group involved in several activities including attacks on security forces and civilian atrocities.
Incriminating materials including arms and ammunition were recovered from the site of encounter. All the recovered materials have been taken into case records for further investigation and to probe their complicity in other cases, spokesman said.
He said the last rites of the killed militants shall be performed after conducting medico-legal formalities at Baramulla and their nearest family members shall be allowed to participate in the last rites.
In this connection a case under relevant sections of law has been registered and investigation has been initiated.
“People are requested to cooperate with police till the area is completely sanitized and cleared of all the explosive materials, if any,” spokesman said.
Meanwhile, Director General of Police (DGP) Dilbag Singh said that both the militants were affiliated with Al-Badr outfit. However, independent sources said that while one slain militant was a cadre of Al-Badr, another was affiliated with Hizbul Mujahideen.
