Hindustan Times (Jalandhar)

Two terrorists killed in encounter in Shopian

- letters@hindustant­imes.com

SRINAGAR: Two Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) militants were killed in an encounter with security forces in Shopian district of Jammu and Kashmir on Monday, police said. Security forces launched a cordon-and-search operation in Khojpora village in the Reban area of the south Kashmir district during the night after receiving informatio­n about the presence of militants there, a police spokesman said.

He said the search operation turned into an encounter after the militants fired upon the forces personnel, prompting them to retaliate.

Two militants were killed in the gunfight, the spokesman said, adding their bodies were retrieved from the encounter site.

The slain militants have been identified as Shabir Ahmad Malik alias Abu Maviya, a resident of Tungduno Yaripora Kulgam who had been active since December 2017, and Amir Ahmad Dar, a resident of Wadina Melhoura who joined militancy in 2019.

Malik, a Pakistan-trained militant, was involved in various terror-related cases in south Kashmir, he said.

The spokesman said during the search at the encounter site, one AK-47, one under barrel grenade launcher, one AK-47 magazine, one Chinese pistol, one magazine of Chinese pistol and five nine mm live rounds were recovered.

A case has been registered and further investigat­ion taken up in the matter, he added.

Security officials had claimed to have killed the self-styled Kashmir chief Qari Yasir,a Pakistani, who had a supervisor­y role in February 14 Pulwama suicide bombing attack in 2019 , which killed 40 Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) men. Yasir along with his two associates in south Kashmir were again planning a major attack on Republic

Day in Kashmir, officials said.

3 AIDES OF HIZB HELD

Three militant associates of the Hizbul Mujahideen outfit have been arrested from Jammu and Kashmir’s Pulwama district, police said on Monday.

He said the three have been identified as Aadil Rasool Ganie, a resident of Batagund and Riyaz Ahmad Bhat and Mohammad Isaq Bhat - both residents of Tral Payeen.

They were involved in providing shelter, logistics and other kind of support to militants operating in the areas of Tral, the official said. A case has been registered.

 ?? ANI ?? Soldiers at the encounter site in Khajpura Reban area of Shopian district on Monday.
ANI Soldiers at the encounter site in Khajpura Reban area of Shopian district on Monday.

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