Jahangeer Ganaie
Shopian, Jun 23: One militant was killed in an encounter between security forces and militants in Shirmal village of Zainapora in South Kashmir’s Shopian district on Thursday.
A senior police officer told the news agency—Kashmir News Observer (KNO) that one militant has been killed while as search operation in the areas was going on.
Earlier, an official said that a joint team of Police, Army’s 44 RR and CRPF launched a Cordon and Search Operation (CASO) on specific information about the presence of militants in the area.
He said that as the joint team of forces approached towards the suspected spot, the hiding militants fired upon them, which was retaliated, triggering an encounter.
The official said that during the ensuing gunfight one militant was killed whose body is at Zainapora police station.
Meanwhile, police in a statement issued to KNO said that on a specific input regarding presence of militants in orchards of Shirmal area of Shopian, a joint cordon and search operation was launched by Police, 44RR and 178Bn CRPF in the said area.
During the search operation as the presence of militants got ascertained they were given an opportunity to surrender, however, they fired indiscriminately upon the joint search party, which was retaliated leading to an encounter.
In the ensuing encounter, one militant was killed and his body was retrieved from the site of encounter.
He has been identified as Sajad Ahmad Bhat son of Ghulam Qadir Bhat resident of Badigam Aishmuqam Anantnag linked with Hizbul Mujahideen. As per police records, the killed militant was active since 14-09-2020 and was involved in several cases.
Arms and ammunition including one pistol with magazine, one grenade and other incriminating materials were recovered from the encounter site. All the recovered materials have been taken into case records for further investigation and to probe his complicity in other cases. During the search operation, one hideout was busted and later on destroyed.
In this connection, police has registered a case under relevant sections of law and investigation has been initiated. People are requested to cooperate with police till the area is completely sanitized and cleared off of all the explosive materials, if any—(KNO)
