Tral Encounter Over; Two Militants Killed, Civilian Injured

Bodies of slain handed over to families, laid to rest amid pro-freedom slogans
Qayoom Khan
Srinagar: Two Hizbul Mujahideen militants were killed and a civilian injured in a gunfight between militants and government forces in Tral area of south Kashmir’s Pulwama district on Tuesday, police said.
They said two militants were killed in Mir Mohalla after forces blasted the house and razed it to the ground today morning.
A senior police officer search operation was still on and forces had recovered two bodies of militants along with two AK-47 rifles.
A police spokesman identified the slain militants as Adfar Fayaz Parray of Gulshanpora, Tral and Irfan Ahmad Rather of Shariefabad Tral. “Both the militants were affiliated with Hizbul Mujahideen outfit”.
“The slain were involved in conspiring and executing several militant attacks and were wanted by the law for their complicity in a series of crimes including attack on security establishments and civilian atrocities. Several terror crime cases were registered against them for their militant activities,” the spokesman said.
Arms and ammunition including rifles were recovered from the site of encounter. All these materials have been taken in the case records for further investigation and to probe their complicity in other cases, the spokesman said.
A civilian, identified as Farooq Ahmad Malik (45) was also injured during the gunfight. He was rushed to SMHS hospital in Srinagar. Farooq, according to the police spokesman sustained injuries in a nearby area and was hospitalised where his condition is stable.The gunfight began today morning after fresh contact was established with the militants who had exchanged fire last night too.
An officer said the operation was suspended last night due to darkness but was resumed at the crack of dawn today.
Meanwhile, the bodies of both the militants were handed over to their families for last rites after conducting all necessary medical formalities. (GNS)