Two militants killed in encounter at Jammu and Kashmir’s Anantnag
Another operation was underway in north Kupwara district close to the Line of Control.
Two militants of the Lashkar-e-Taiba were killed on Wednesday in south Kashmir’s Anantnag after a six-hour gunbattle with security forces in a congested part of the town, officials said, even as another operation was underway in north Kupwara district close to the Line of Control.
A gun battle began early on Wednesday in the Lalchowk area of Anantnag town after it was cordoned off late on Tuesday following specific inputs about the presence of two or three militants in the congested locality. Police imposed strict restrictions in Anantnag town and didn’t allow people to move out of their house.
The Indian Army and the special operation group of Jammu and Kashmir police zeroed in on the place where the militants were hiding. The militants were killed after six hours and the operation was called off. Later, the restrictions were also lifted.
A police spokesperson said as the security forces advanced towards the house where the militants were holed up, they opened fire on the security forces.
“In retaliation, two militants were eliminated without any collateral damage during the encounter,’’ the spokesperson added.
Jammu and Kashmir’s director general of Police SP Vaid confirmed that two Lashkar militants were killed in the operation.
The spokesperson said the identity of one of the militants and that they belonged to Lashkar was established on the basis of the incriminating materials seized from them.
“One of the killed militants was identified as Bilal Ahmad Dar alias Bin Yamin Dar of Sofi Mohalla Khudwani in Kulgam. The identity of the other militant is yet to be ascertained,’’ he said, adding arms and ammunition were also recovered from the site.
Police said Dar was involved in a series of terror acts in the south Kashmir. Sources, however, said he could be a resident of Doda who recently joined the militant ranks.
Police had killed three militants in Khudwani, around 10km from Anantnag town, on Sunday. Two of the militants were locals and one was a foreigner. One of the militants was buried at his native village in the afternoon and a large number of villagers participated in the funeral.
The army and police launched another operation on Wednesday morning near the Line of Control at Keran sector in Kupwara and the police spokesperson said the operation was still underway.
Officials said it was not clear whether the militants engaged with forces were fresh infiltrators.
Militants also hurled a grenade towards the post office at Washboug in Pulwama on Wednesday afternoon. However, there was no injuries or loss of life, police said.
