Shopian, March 28: Three militants were killed in an encounter that broke out between militants and government forces in south Kashmir’s Shopian district on Thursday.
As per the reports, the soldiers of 23 PARA cordoned off Yarwan, Keller, a forest area on the tail end of district and started a search operation at around 2:30 am, while the operation was in progress, militants hiding in a hideout opened fire on the forces.
The soldiers retaliated, triggering a gunfight, in which three militants were killed.
Reportedly, the slain militants have been identified as Aaqib Ahmad from Bhatnoora Lassipora Pulwama, Basharat Ahmad from Wasoora Pulwama and Sajad Khanday from Bamnoo Keller shopian.
Meanwhile, Mobile Internet was suspended in the district.
Police Version
Apropos our earlier press release regarding encounter at Yawran area of district Shopian, it is further informed that the killed Militants have been identified as Sajad Khanday, Aqib Ahmad Dar and Basharat Ahmad Mir, all residents of Pulwama.
According to the police records, it was a combined group of proscribed outfits HM and LeT. They were wanted by law for their complicity in a series of terror crimes including attack on security establishments and civilian atrocities.
As per police records, Aqib had a long history of crime records and several crime cases were registered against him. He was involved in conspiring and executing many terror attacks in the area.
Similarly, Sajad and Basharat were involved in many terror attacks and several terror crime cases were also registered against them.
Incriminating materials including 03 AK 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 terror cases.
Citizens are once again requested not to venture inside the encounter zone since such an area can prove dangerous due to stray explosive materials. People are requested to cooperate with police till the area is completely sanitized and cleared of all the explosives materials if any. (KNB)