Srinagar: Two Jaish-e-Mohammad (JeM) militants were killed in an overnight encounter with security forces in Anantnag district of south Kashmir, police said on Thursday.
The joint cordon and search operation was launched by police along with the troops of Army’s 3RR and CRPF at Kandipora in Bijbehara area of the district on Wednesday following information about presence of militants there, a police spokesperson said.
During the search operation, as the presence of militants got ascertained, “they were given opportunity to surrender. However, they fired indiscriminately upon the joint search party, which was retaliated, leading to an encounter,” the spokesperson said.
Due to darkness, the operation was suspended on Wednesday evening but the cordon remained intact throughout night, he said.
Today in the morning, repeated announcements were again made to hiding militants to surrender, but they fired on joint search party and the fire was retaliated resulting in the killing of two hiding militants, spokesperson added.
The slain militants have been identified as Adil Ahmad Bhat, resident of Shithpora Bijbehara, and Zahid Ahmad Rather, resident of Sirhama Anantnag. They were affiliated with proscribed outfit JeM.
As per police records, the spokesperson said both the militants were involved in several militancy cases, including attacks on security forces and civilian atrocities.
“Incriminating materials, including arms and ammunition, were recovered from the site of encounter. All the recovered material has been taken into case records for further investigation,” he added.
The last rites of the killed militants shall be performed after conducting their medico-legal formalities and their nearest family members shall be allowed to participate in their last rites, spokesperson said while adding that the people are requested to cooperate with police till the area is completely sanitized and cleared of all the explosive materials, if any.
