Four militants killed in two separate gunfights in south Kashmir

PULWAMA — Four militants were killed in two separate overnight encounters in south Kashmir’s Pulwama and Kulgam districts, police said on Thursday.

Police said that two militants killed in Kulgam were planning to attack security forces along the national highway.

Inspector General of Police for Kashmir range, Vijay Kumar said in an encounter at Puchal area of Pulwama district, two unidentified militants were killed in an overnight joint operation of police and security forces.

“Two more militants were killed in another gunfight at Zodar area of Kulgam,” the IGP said, adding that two slain militants belonged to Lashkar-e-Toiba and Al-Badr outfits.”

He said yesterday (Wednesday) early morning, one of the longest surviving militants of Hizbul Mujahideen was killed in an encounter at Handwara area of north Kashmir’s Kupwara district. “In past 24 hours, five militants have been killed in three encounters in Kashmir,” he said, and congratulated the police and security forces for successful operations.

IGP Kashmir said that the two slain in Kulgam gunfight were planning a strike on the forces along the national highway. “All the four slain were locals and all were affiliated with the Lashkar-e-Taiba outfit,” he said.

A police spokesman in a statement issued here said that during the last 12 hours, two encounters took place in south Kashmir’s Pulwama and Kulgam districts in which four militants were killed.

“In Pulwama, during the intervening night, based on a specific input about the presence of militants in Puchal area,” the spokesman said, “a joint cordon and search operation was launched by Police, 183Bn CRPF and 55RR in the said area. During the search operation as the presence of militants got ascertained, they were given repeated opportunities to surrender, however, they fired indiscriminately upon the joint search party which was retaliated, leading to an encounter.”

The spokesman further said that in the ensuing encounter, two militants were killed and their bodies were retrieved from the site of encounter. “They have been identified as Kifayat Ramzan Sofi son of Mohammad Ramzan Sofi resident of Padgampora, Awantipora affiliated with LeT and Inayat Ahmad Dar son of Abdul Ahad Dar resident of Samboora, Pulwama affiliated with Al-Badr,” the spokesman said.

He said that similarly in Kulgam, during the intervening night, on credible inputs regarding the movement of militants on the national highway, a joint Naka by Police & 1RR was established by them at Zadora, Qazigund.

“During Naka checking, when a suspicious vehicle was signalled to stop by the Naka party, two militants who were boarding the vehicle came out from the vehicle and started firing indiscriminately upon the joint Naka party,” the spokesman said, adding that “However, the alert party retaliated the fire effectively, leading to the elimination of two terrorists on the spot. Bodies of both the killed terrorists were retrieved from the site of encounter and have been identified as Nasir Ahmad Pandith son of Mohd Ayoub resident of Redwani Kulgam and Shahbaz Ahmad Shah son of Ghulam Hassan Shah resident of Katrusu, Kulgam, both affiliated with LeT.”

He said that as per police records, all the killed militants were part of groups involved in various crimes and cases stand registered against them.

“Arms, ammunition & other incriminating materials were recovered from both the encounter sites. All the recovered materials have been taken into case records for further investigation,” the statement said.