Excelsior Correspondent
SRINAGAR, June 30: Two militants of Lashkar-e-Toiba (LeT) were killed and two policemen were injured in an encounter that broke out at Newa area of South Kashmir’s Pulwama district this morning.
On a tip off about the presence of a group of militants in Malwari village of Newa, a joint operation was launched by Army’s 55 Rashtriya Rifles, 183 CRPF and SOG Pulwama this morning.
Militants hiding inside the village opened fire on security forces as they were conducting searches of the village. They tried to break the cordon and flee but were killed by the security forces.
The militants were hiding in the house of Ghulam Rasool Shergujri, whose wife Jigri is a PDP Panch. As the encounter was underway, hundreds of protesters tried to march towards the encounter site but they were intercepted by security forces leading to clashes. Police fired dozens of teargas shells to chase the protesters.
The two militants were identified as Manzoor Ahmad resident of Gandi Bagh Kakapora and another was identified as Abu Ayaan, a Pakistani national. It is believed that Abu Ayaan was part of the group that had recently infiltrated and his two associates were killed in Pampore attack on CRPF.
Two cops sustained minor splinter injuries during the encounter. An AK 47 rifle, 4 magazines, 56 rounds, one pistol, 1 pistol magazine, 2 pistol rounds and other war like stores were recovered from the encounter site.
The killings of two militants sparked off protests and clashes in parts of Pulwama district including in Main Town Pulwama amid a shutdown. Soon after the news about the killings spread a shutdown was observed in Main Town of Pulwama and adjoining areas besides there was already a shutdown at Newa and Kakapora. Protesters clashed with security forces at Muran Chowk, Rajpora Chowk and Newa throughout the day during which 20 protesters were injured.
With the killing of two militants the total number of militants killed in the first six months of the year has gone upto 81 which is highest in the recent years for first half of the year. Majority of these killed militants belonged to LeT.
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