Forces kill 2 militants behind Sopore attack

SRINAGAR : Two Hizbul Mujahideen militants responsible for a grenade attack on policemen in Sopore town in north Kashmir’s Baramulla district on Wednesday evening were killed in an encounter with security forces early on Thursday, police said.

At least four policemen were injured when a suspected militant lobbed a grenade outside a police station in Sopore.

Director general of state police SP Vaid tweeted that the two militants were killed in a joint operation at Sopore.

Vaid told the Hindustan Times the grenade thrower was identified from close circuit television camera footage and the description provided by the policemen who were attacked.

“He was picked up and interrogated and then he led us to the terrorists,” Vaid said.

The Indian Army, Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) and state police were involved in the operation that took place at Natipora area of Sopore.

Security forces launched a cordon-and-search operation in Natipora after receiving information about the presence of militants there, a police official said told PTI news agency. During the searches, the two militants opened fire on the forces, triggering the gunbattle, he said.

An army official said two AK assault rifles and other warlike stores were recovered in the sanitisation operation.