Two LeT militants killed in Budgam encounter

OFFENSIVE Police say both the militants were involved in a series of attacks on security forces in central Kashmir

Security forces on Thursday gunned down two militants of banned outfit Lashkar-e-Taiba in an encounter in Kashmir’s Zagoo village, a state police spokesperson familiar with the matter said.

SRINAGAR: Security forces on Thursday gunned down two militants of banned outfit Lashkar-e-Taiba (Let) in an encounter in Kashmir’s Zagoo village, a state police spokesperson familiar with the matter said.

The police identified the two militants as residents of Kashmir and said once the news of their encounter spread, the villagers started pelting security personnel with stones, prompting the police to fire tear gas shells to disperse the protesters.

‘’One of the killed militant has been identified as Mukhtar Ahmad Khan of Budgam’s Chill Brass village while the other militant has been identified as Mohd Amin Mir of Pampore [district],’’ the police spokesence person said.

According to police, Khan had joined militant ranks in April and Mir in August of this year.

Police said both the militants were involved in a series of attacks on security forces, especially in central Kashmir. The police spokesperson said security forces had launched a search operation in and around Zagoo village on Thursday morning after getting “credible information” about the pres- of militants in the area.

During the operation, the hiding militants opened fire on the search team, leading to an encounter, the official added. An army jawan also sustained injuries during the gunfight and was rushed to a hospital where his condition is stable, the police spokesperson said. After the encounter, the police urged the villagers not to go near the encounter site till it was cleared of any “stray explosives”. Seven civilians were killed in Kashmir’s Kulgam on October 21 in an explosion at the site of a gunbattle between forces and militants.

“People are requested to cooperate with police till the area is completely sanitised and cleared of all the explosives materials if any,” the police spokesperson said.

SECURITY FORCES LAUNCHED A SEARCH OP AFTER GETTING ‘CREDIBLE INFO’ ABOUT THE PRESENCE OF MILITANTS IN THE AREA