Srinagar, Mar 28: Four militants were Thursday killed in two encounters with government forces in Shopian and Kupwara districts, police said.
Government forces launched an anti-militancy operation in Yawran forests in Shopian following information about the presence of militants there, a police spokesman said.
He said in the ensuing gunfight, three militants were killed.
The slain militants have were identified as Sajad Khanday, Aqib Ahmad Dar and Basharat Ahmad Mir, all residents of Pulwama, the spokesman said.
According to the police records, it was a combined group of Hizbul Mujahideen and Lashkar-e-Taiba, the spokesman said.
“They were wanted by law for their complicity in a series of terror crimes, including attack on security establishments and civilian atrocities and several cases were registered against them,” he said.
“Incriminating materials, including three AK rifles, were recovered from the site of the encounter. All these materials have been taken in the case records for further investigation,” he said.
In another encounter, a militant was killed in the Handwara area of Kupwara district in north Kashmir, the spokesman said.
“One militant has been killed in the operation in Yaroo area of Langate in Handwara. Some arms and ammunition have been recovered from the site,” he added.
Later in the evening police spokesman identified the slain militant as Danish Ahmad Dar, who he said was a resident of Sopore.
The spokesman said that Danish belonged to the Jaish-e-Muhammad (JeM) militant outfit.
“Incriminating materials including rifle and grenades were recovered from the site of encounter. All these materials have been taken in the case records for further investigation,” he said.
“Citizens are once again requested not to venture inside the encounter zone since such an area can prove dangerous due to stray explosive materials. People are requested to cooperate with police till the area is completely sanitized and cleared of all the explosives materials if any,” said police spokesman in a statement.
Meanwhile, following the gunfight in Shopian, intense clashes broke out between the government forces and people at Murran Chowk in Pulwama.
Reports said that soon after the news of the killing of three militants spread, people especially youth took to streets and pelted stones on the government forces.
A shutdown was also observed in Pulwama and Shopian districts of south Kashmir while the Internet connectivity was also snapped.
Hizb militant arrested in Bijbahara
Srinagar, Mar 28: Government forces on Thursday arrested a Hizbul Mujahideen militant in Anantnag district of south Kashmir, police said.
Acting on a credible input, government forces arrested Rameez Ahmad Dar, a resident of Kulgam, from the Bijbehara area of Anantnag district, a police spokesman said.
He said Dar was an active militant for the past one-and-half years and affiliated with the Hizbul Mujahideen.
“Arms and ammunition were recovered from his possession,” the spokesman said.
