Kashmir police recover 2 bodies after encounter in Shopian

The encounter had ensued after a joint party of security forces launched a cordon and search operation (CASO) in Khudpora area on Saturday evening following a tip-off.

Police recovered two bodies in Kashmir’s Shopian district on Sunday after an overnight encounter. Officials said one of them was a militant even as locals said the second was a civilian.

Police recovered two bodies in Kashmir’s Shopian district on Sunday after an overnight encounter. Officials said one of them was a militant even as locals said the second was a civilian. (Representative Image/PTI File Photo)

A statement from the police spokesperson identified one of the slain men as Mohd Irfan Bhat, a Hizbul Mujahideen militant from Pulwama.

The second man was identified as Shahid Mir, 31, a resident of Khudapora who did shuttering works. He was married and had a child. A police statement said Mir was part of a case under Section 7/25 of the Arms Act registered at a police station in Shopian for a terror-related incident in 2004. The encounter had ensued after a joint party of security forces launched a cordon and search operation (CASO) in Khudpora area on Saturday evening following a tip-off.

The police statement said during the search operation the militants fired on the search party. The fire was retaliated by security forces, and that led to an encounter. “Following the SOP, civilians from the nearby area were evacuated to safer places. In the ensuing encounter, terrorists, who were hiding, fired at security forces.

Two bodies were recovered from the site of encounter,” the spokesperson said.The spokesperson said two militants managed to escape as blood trails were seen at the site.