Two Hizbul militants killed in encounter in Jammu and Kashmir’s Tral

Two local militants of Hizbul Mujahideen were killed in an encounter with security forces at Tral in south Kashmir’s Pulwama district on Tuesday morning.

Two local militants of Hizbul Mujahideen were killed in an encounter with security forces at Tral in south Kashmir’s Pulwama district on Tuesday morning, police and army officials said. A civilian was also injured during the encounter.

Smoke rises from a house destroyed during a gunbattle between security forces and militants at Reshi Mohlala area of Tral in Pulwama district of south Kashmir, Tuesday.(PTI)

The encounter broke out on Monday evening when security forces launched a search operation in Reshipora area of Tral, 46 km southeast of Srinagar, following a tip-off about presence of militants, police spokesman Umar Rashid said in a statement.

Two terrorists were killed and the bodies were recovered from the site of encounter, he said.

The slain militants had been identified as Adfar Fayaz Parray and Irfan Ahmad Rather, both residents of Tral, he said.

“The slain militants were affiliated with proscribed terror outfit Hizbul Mujahideen (HM).They were involved in conspiring and executing many terrorist attacks and wanted for their complicity in a series of terror crimes, including attack on security establishments,” the spokesman said.

“Arms and ammunition, including rifles, were recovered from the site of encounter,” he added.

The police spokesman said a civilian, identified as Farooq Ahmad Malik, was also hit by a stray bullet and he was undergoing treatment in a hospital.

Meanwhile, the authorities have suspended mobile and internet services in the town.

Pulwama district has been on high alert since the February 14 terror attack in which 40 CRPF troopers were killed.

Since the attack, 15 militants (11 from JeM and two each from LeT and HM) have been killed in various encounters across the Valley while security forces have lost four policemen, including a DSP, six army personnel,including a major, and three CRPF men, including an inspector.

Twenty-three militants were killed in various encounters across Kashmir in February as against 17 in January. Four militants have been killed in March so far.