Two militants killed in encounter with security forces in Kulgam

The operation was launched on Sunday on the intervening night of May 24 and 25 after a specific input was received by police about the presence of militants hiding in Khurd-Hanjipora area of Manzgam

Two militants were killed in an encounter with security forces in south Kashmir’s Kulgam district, police said on Monday.

HT Image

The identity of the militants is being ascertained, police said.

The operation was launched on the intervening night of May 24/25 after an input was received by the police about the presence of militants in the Khurd-Hanjipora area of Manzgam. Mobile internet was snapped in some parts of south Kashmir after the encounter.

“Acting on the input, a joint search operation was launched by Kulgam Police, 34 RR and CRPF 18 Bn. As search parties drew closer to the suspected house, hiding terrorists fired indiscriminately upon them. The fire was effectively retaliated in which two terrorists were neutralised,” said a J&K police spokesperson. He said the identity and affiliation of the killed terrorists is being ascertained.

“Incriminating material including arms and ammunition has been recovered from the site of the encounter,” the police spokesperson said adding that the operation saw no collateral damage.

Police have asked people not to venture inside the encounter zone. “The bomb disposal squads of Kulgam Police have cleared the area of all stray explosives, but people are requested to co-operate with the police till the area is completely sanitised and cleared,” the spokesperson said.

Since the lockdown, 37 militants and two militant associates have been killed while 24 security forces personnel, including two in ceasefire violations, also died.