Srinagar: Two Hizbul Mujahideen militants- of which included a former army personnel- were killed in a gunfight with armed forces in Zainapora area of south Kashmir’s Shopian district on Tuesday, police said.
A spokesman, in a statement, said that the state police and the forces launched a cordon and search operation in Safanagri village before dawn today following “credible” inputs about the presence of militants in the area.
“As the search operation was going on, the hiding militants fired on the search party. The fire was retaliated, leading to an encounter,” he said.
In the ensuing gunfight, he said, two militants were killed.
The killed militants were identified as Mohd Idrees Sultan alias chota Abrar S/o Mohd Sultan R/o Safanagri Shopian, and Amir Hussain Rather alias Abu Sobaan S/o Mohd Amin Rather R/o Awneera Shopian.
“They were affiliated with Hizb ul Mujahideen and were involved in attacks on security establishments and many other civilian atrocities in the area,” said the spokesman.
The spokesman had stated that Idrees was a former army man. He had deserted his JAKLI unit in Bihar in April this year and joined Hizbul Mujahideen.
“No collateral damage took place during the operation. Incriminating materials including arms and ammunition were recovered from the site of gunfight,” said the spokesman. “Police has registered a case and initiated investigation in the instant matter.”
“Citizens are once again requested not to venture inside the encounter zone since such an area can prove dangerous due to stray explosive materials,” he said.
“People are requested to cooperate with police till the area is completely sanitized and cleared of all the explosives materials if any.”
