Srinagar: Police claimed to have killed three Al-Badr militants in a gunfight in Kanigam area of south Kashmir’s Shopian, while a fourth militant surrendered before the forces on Thursday morning.
The firefight erupted shortly after a joint team of police, 44 RR and CRPF’s 178 Battalion cordoned the area following inputs about the presence of militants there, a police spokesman said in a statement.
The statement issued this morning said the trapped militants were given an opportunity to surrender before the forces even as their family members were also called to the encounter site to persuade them.
While one of the four militants — Tausif Ahmad — surrendered before the security forces, the other trio turned down the offer and “fired indiscriminately on the joint search party, which was retaliated leading to an encounter,” police said.
In the ensuing gunfight, three militants were killed. Police identified them as Danish Mir and Mohammad Umar Bhat, both residents of Khajapora, and Zaid Bashir Reshi of Reban Shopian.
Their last rites will be performed after completing medico-legal formalities in presence of family members, police said.
Police also released a purported video wherein Tausif is seen appealing three militants to lay down arms before the security forces.
The trio, police said, was affiliated with Al-Badr militant outfit as per records.
It said “incriminating material” including arms and ammunition were recovered from the site of the encounter which have been taken into custody for investigation.
The police statement also quoted IGP Kashmir, Vijay Kumar as congratulating the security forces for showing “utmost patience and exhibiting professionalism, which resulted in saving the life of a misguided youth”.
The IGP further appealed all militants to return to mainstream saying police will “welcome and accept them with open arms”.
