B.Tech pass out, foreigner among slain militants in Kokernag

KOKERNAG — Two militants including a foreigner and a local boy who had a degree in Bachelors in Technology (B.Tech) were killed in a fierce gunfight at Kokernag area of south Kashmir on Tuesday.

A resident of Anantnag district, the local militant had joined Jaish-e-Muhammad outfit just 45-days ago, top police sources revealed.

They said that the gunfight broke out after a cordon was laid on a specific lead in Kokernag woods early on Tuesday. “On a specific lead, siege was laid in Kachwan area of Kokernag in south Kashmir’s Anantnag district by joint team of forces including 19 RR. On intensifying search operation towards suspected spot, hiding militants fired upon forces, triggering an encounter,” he said.

A police spokesman said that during the search operation, the hiding militants fired on the search party. “In the ensuing encounter, two militants were killed and the bodies were retrieved from the site of encounter,” the spokesman said.

Reliable sources in the police said that one of the slain militants was identified as a foreigner, a resident of Pakistan while as second was identified as a local resident, Faisal Nazir son of Nazir Ahmed of Nai Basti locality of Anantnag town originally from Qazigund area of Anantnag district.

“Faisal was a B.Tech pass out who had joined Jaish-e-Muhammad outfit just 45-days ago,” they said.

The bodies of the two slain militants were kept at the District Police Lines Khanabal as the area witnessed massive protests and clashes.

“Hundreds of youth took to streets in Anantnag after the news of Faisal’s killing spread in the area. Clashes rocked old town, Khanabal, Nai Basti and other adjoining areas as youth were demanding bodies of slain militants,” witnesses said.

They said that spontaneous shutdown was observed across Anantnag while as the authorities snapped internet facilities in the district.