TWO TERRORISTS LINKED TO COP’S MURDER GUNNED DOWN IN J&K

SRINAGAR: Two Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM) terrorists linked to the killing of a police constable were killed in an overnight encounter with security forces, in Pulwama district of Jammu & Kashmir, police said on Monday.

According to the police, the encounter began at Gundipora village of Pulwama on Sunday night after security forces launched a cordon and search operation to track the terrorists in the area, a police spokesperson said.

“A joint operation was launched yesterday (Sunday) evening. However, during the night, the operation was suspended as they kept moving from one house to another. In the morning, two bodies belonging to local Jaish men were recovered from the encounter site,” said inspector general of police (Kashmir), Vijay Kumar, adding that both the men were involved in the killing of constable Reyaz Ahmad in Pulwama on May 13.The slain terrorists have been identified as Abid Shah and Saquib. Security forces recovered two AK rifles and other incriminating material from the scene of the encounter.

Kumar said they have adopted a multi-dimensional strategy to stop locals from joining terror groups. “First, we seek help from parents to get misguided youth back. We also use technical surveillance to make arrests. We have booked motivators under the Public Safety Act and shifted them outside the state. Also, those who have escaped are being neutralised during encounters.” He also pointed out how newly recruited terrorists are being given a chance to surrender during encounters.