Encounter in Anantnag enters second day

SRINAGAR : An encounter between militants and security forces in south Kashmir’s Anantnag district entered the second day today as a search operation to trace the ultras continued in the area.
“The operation at Arwani in Bijbehara is on. Security forces are conducting searches,” a police official said.
He said the area has been cordoned off, but there was no firing this morning.
The operation started yesterday morning in which one militant is believed to have been killed.
However, a confirmation on militant casualty can only be made after the operation is over and the body is retrieved, the official said.
An army jawan was injured in the firing last night, the official said.
Yesterday, a 24-year-old youth was killed allegedly after being hit by a “stray bullet” near the site of encounter.
Arif Shah, a resident of Sangam area of Anantnag district, was hit by the “stray bullet” when security forces were dealing with a group which was indulging in stone-pelting near the encounter site, the official said.
However, locals alleged that Shah was killed in security forces action against protesters. (agencies)