Militant killed in Baramulla gunfight

SRINAGAR — A newly recruited Jaish-e-Muhammad (JeM) militant was killed and three security personnel were wounded in an encounter that broke out between security forces and militants in the Wanigam Bala area of Baramulla district on Saturday, police said.

A senior police officer, as per news agency KNO, said that the gunfight started after a joint team of police and security forces received inputs about the presence of militants in the area.

“The search operation, however, turned into a gunfight when militants opened fire on the security forces, who retaliated,” the officer said, adding that one militant was killed during the exchange of gunfire.

“Besides two soldiers and a police personnel received injuries during the gunfight and were shifted to hospital for treatment where their condition is stable,” the officer said.

A police spokesman in a statement said that acting on specific information generated by police regarding the presence of a militant in village Wanigam Bala area of Kreeri in Baramulla, a joint cordon and search operation was launched by Police, Army (29RR) & SSB (2nd Battalion) in the area.

“During the search operation, as the joint search party approached the suspected spot, the hiding militant fired indiscriminately upon the joint search party which was retaliated effectively, leading to an encounter. In the initial exchange of fire, two soldiers and a police personnel received injuries and were shifted to hospital for treatment where their condition is stable,” the spokesman said, adding that in the ensuing encounter, one militant was killed and his body was retrieved from the site of encounter.

The police identified the slain militant as Akhtar Hussain Bhat alias Abid Bhai son of Ghulam Ahmad Bhat, resident of Trich, Kupwara, who was affiliated with the JeM. Police said Bhat was missing since July 16 this year.

The police spokesman said that arms and ammunition including one AK-47 Rifle, three AK-Magazines, seven AK-Rounds, one Pouch and one bag were recovered from the site of the encounter.