2 Hizbul militants killed in Budgam
SRINAGAR:Two Hizbul Mujahideen militants were killed in a gun battle with security forces in central Kashmir’s Budgam, police said on Wednesday. This is the third encounter in three days in which a total of eight militants have been killed.
One of the slain militants had been active since 2015 and forces were looking for him for the past several years, police said. Police also claimed he was instrumental in recruiting youths into the militant outfit.
According to the police, a cordon and search operation was launched late Tuesday by the special operation group of the Jammu and Kashmir police and the Indian Army in the area based on a credible input about the presence of militants in Gopalpora area of Chadoora.
Police said that security forces were fired upon by the militants as the search was on. The troops retaliated immediately, leading to a gunfight, they said.
Police identified the militants as Hilal Ahmad Wani and Shoaib Mohammad Lone, alais Mursi — both residents of south Kashmir.
A police spokesman said both the militants were affiliated to Hizbul Mujahideen and were wanted for a number of cases.
“(Wani) had been operating
across the southern and central belts of the Valley since he had joined the terrorist ranks in 2015. He was responsible for conspiring and executing many terror attacks on the security establishments in the Valley,” the spokesman said, adding that Shoaib Lone was also involved in many terror attacks and several cases were registered against him.