Three militants killed; 1 surrenders

: Three militants were killed, while one new recruit surrendered, after a gunfight broke out between security forces and Al-Badr operatives in Kanigam village, Shopian, on Thursday.

Those killed are Danish Mir, Muhammad Umer Bhat of Khajapora, Shopian and Zaid Bashir of Raben Shopian.

Acting on a specific input about militant presence in Kanigam area of Shopian, a joint cordon and search operation was launched by the Jammu and Kashmir Police, 44 Rashtriya Rifles and 178 Battalion Central Reserve Police Force.

“Once the presence of terrorists was ascertained they were given an opportunity to surrender. Family members of the trapped terrorists were also called to the site to encourage them to lay down their arms,” a police spokesperson said. One of the trapped terrorists Tausif Ahmad surrendered and laid down his arms before the joint security forces. “The surrendered militant also appealed to his trapped companions to surrender, however, they turned down the surrender offer and fired indiscriminately on joint search party which was retaliated leading to an encounter,” the spokesperson said.

Pak intruder shot dead

An intruder from Pakistan, who crossed the border in Jammu and Kashmir late on Wednesday night, was shot dead by the Border Security Force (BSF) along the 200 km long International Border in Samba sector, said a seniorBSF officer. “Rs 150 in Pakistani currency was recovered from the slain intruder,” he said.