Jahangeer Ganaie
Five militants were killed in a gunfight that raged between forces and them in Southern Kashmir’s Shopian district on Wednesday.
An official told news agency—Kashmir News Observer (KNO), that five militants, including a top commander, were killed in an encounter that broke out between government forces and militants in Sugoo village of the district.
“A joint team of Police, Army’s 44 RR and CRPF launched a Cordon and Search Operation (CASO) on specific information about the presence of militants in the area. The militants hiding in a shed in an orchard fired upon forces, triggering an encounter,” he said, adding that all the five militants were killed in the gunfight.
This was the third encounter in the district in the last four days. 14 militants including some top commanders were killed in these gunfights.
On June 07, five militants including three top commanders of Hizb-ul-Mujahideen were killed in an encounter at Reban area of the district.
On June 08, four militants including two commanders were killed in an encounter at Pinjura area of the district.
A police spokesman said that on a specific input generated by Shopian Police regarding presence of militants in village Sugoo Handhama Shopian, a joint CASO was launched by Police, 44 RR, and 178 Bn CRPF in said area.
“During the search operation, the hiding militants fired on the joint search party. The fire was retaliated leading to an encounter. In the ensuing encounter, five militants were killed and their bodies were retrieved from the site of encounter,” he said.
He said the identification and affiliation of the killed militants are being ascertained. “However, as per credible sources, the killed militants belonged to proscribed militant outfits. As per source report militants belong to HM and LeT.
One of them is district commander of HM,” he said, adding that police and SFs conducted the operation professionally and no collateral damage occurred. He said that incriminating material including arms and ammunition were recovered from the site of encounter.
“All the recovered materials have been taken into case records for further investigation and to probe their complicity in other crimes. In this connection a case under relevant sections of law stands registered in Police Station Zainapora and investigation has been initiated,” the police said –(KNO)
