Srinagar: Three Lashkar-e-Toiba (LeT) militants were killed in an encounter with security forces in Kokernag area of south Kashmir’s Anantnag district on Tuesday, police said.
Security forces launched a cordon and search operation at Sheikhpora village in Vailoo in Komernag area of the district early on Tuesday following information about presence of three militants there, a police official said.
During the search operation, as the presence of militants got ascertained they were given an opportunity to surrender. However, they fired indiscriminately upon the joint search party which was retaliated leading to an encounter, the official said.
He said the joint teams of security forces also rescued all the civilians trapped in the gunfire and halted the operation for the time to ensure safe evacuation of people from the area of gunfight.
After ensuring all civilians are safe, the operation was resumed and all the militants were killed in the ensuing encounter. The bodies of the killed militants were also retrieved from the site of encounter, the official said.
The slain militants were identified as Ilyas Ahmad Dar, alias Sameer, resident of Danwathpora Kokernag; Ubaid Shafi, alias Abdullah, a resident of Batamaloo Srinagar; and Aqib Ahmad Lone, alias Sahil, resident of Khandaypora, Kulgam.
As per police records, all the killed militants were linked with proscribed outfit LeT and part of the groups involved in several militancy cases including attacks on security forces and security establishments, police said in a statement here.
It said Ubaid Shafi was part of the militant group involved in carrying out the attack at Aaribagh area of Nowgam Srinagar on April 01, 2021 in which one Constable Rameez Ahmad was killed.
“Arms & ammunition including one AK-47 rifle, two pistols and incriminating materials have also been 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 crimes,” the statement said.
The last rites of the killed militants shall be performed after conducting medico-legal formalities and the nearest family members of local militants shall be allowed to participate in the last rites, the statement said.
Police also said that a case has been registered under relevant sections of law and investigation has been initiated.
“People are requested to cooperate with police till the area is completely sanitized and cleared off of all the explosive materials, if any,” the statement said.
