SRINAGAR: Two Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) militants were killed in an encounter which broke out after security forces launched a Cordon and Search Operation (CASO) in south Kashmir district of Pulwama on Friday.
Meanwhile, internet mobile service has been suspended in Pulwama as a precautionary measure to prevent any rumours.
A police official said troops of Rashtriya Rifles (RR), CRPF and Special Operation Group (SOG) of Jammu and Kashmir police launched a joint CASO in village Bradbadna Awantipora in Pulwama district early Friday morning following a tip off about the presence of militants.
Security forces sealed all exit points and launched house to house searches, he said, adding when the search party was moving towards a particular area, militants hiding there, opened fire with automatic weapons.
He said security forces retaliated ensuing in an encounter. “Two militants were killed in the exchange of fire,” he said, adding arms and ammunition has been recovered from the encounter site.
He said the slain militants have been identified as Irfan Ahmad Degu alias Abu Zarar, a resident of Naina Litter Pulwama, and Tasaduk Amin Shah of Kadlabal Pampore.
“Both the killed militants as per police records were affiliated with proscribed terror outfit LeT and were wanted by law for their complicity in attack on security establishments and civilian atrocities,” he said.
He said Irfan was part of groups involved in planning and executing series of militant attacks in the area and many other civilian atrocities. The slain militant was involved in attack on security forces in Ellahibagh Pulwama in 2018 in which one jawan had attained martyrdom.
He said Tasaduk as per the police records was involved in killing of civilian. “Several terror crime cases were registered against them,” he said.
“Incriminating materials including arms & ammunition were recovered from the site of encounter. All these materials have been taken into case records for further investigation and to probe their complicity in other terror crimes,” he said.
He said people are requested to cooperate with police till the area is completely sanitised and cleared of all the explosives materials if any.
(AGENCIES)
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