Two militants killed in Awantipora

AWANTIPORA — Two Lashkar-e-Toiba militants were killed in an encounter with government forces in Jammu and Kashmir’s Pulwama district on Friday, police said.

A police official said that security forces had launched a cordon and search operation in Braw Bandina area of Awantipora in the district in south Kashmir after receiving intelligence input about presence of militants in the area.

As the forces were conducting searches in the area, the militants fired upon them. The security forces retaliated, he said. “In the ensuing gunfight, two militants were killed and they belonged to Lashkar-e-Toiba outfit,” the official said.

A police spokesman said that two slain militants were identified as Irfan Ahmed Degu alias Abu Zarar of Naina, Litter Pulwama and Tasaduk Amin Shah of Kadlabal, Pampore.

“Both were part of Lashkar and were involved in various militancy related incidents,” the police spokesman said.

Meanwhile, thousands of people participated in the funeral prayers of two slain militants while as spontaneous shutdown was observed across Pulwama district.