Srinagar: Four militants, including an IED expert, were killed in two separate encounters with security forces in Jammu and Kashmir on Saturday. While two Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) militants were killed in Shopian district, two Ansar Gazwat-ul-Hind ultras were killed in Pulwama district.
Another gunfight was underway between militants and security forces in Anantnag district in south Kashmir.
Giving details, a police officer said acting on specific input about the presence of militants in Chowgam village in Shopian, security forces launched a cordon and search operation there on Friday night.
During the operation, as the presence of terrorists got ascertained, they were given ample opportunities to surrender. However, they denied it and fired indiscriminately at the joint search party which was retaliated, leading to an encounter, he said.
In the ensuing gunbattle, two militants were killed, the official said, adding their bodies were later retrieved from the encounter site.
He identified the two ultras as Sajad Ahmad Chak, a resident of Braripora, Shopian, and Raja Basit Yaqoob, a resident of Achan Litter, Pulwama.
As per police records, both the killed terrorists were categorised terrorists linked with proscribed terror outfit LeT and were part of groups involved in several terror crime cases. Besides, the killed terrorist, Chak, was instrumental in motivating and recruiting the youth to join terror folds, the official said.
He said incriminating material and arms and ammunition including two AK series rifles, four AK magazines and 32 rounds were recovered from the encounter site.
The recovered material has been taken into case records for further investigation, he added.
The official said another encounter broke out between militants and security forces in Hardumir in the Tral area of Pulwama district.
He said as the presence of the militants was ascertained, they were given ample opportunities to surrender but they refused.
In the ensuing gunfight, two militants were killed and their bodies retrieved from the site of the encounter, he said.
The official identified them as Nadeem Nazir Bhat, a resident of Koil Shikargah Tral, and Rahi Rasool Bhat alias Adil, a resident of Kanipora Dadsara.
In a tweet, Inspector General of Police, Kashmir, Vijay Kumar said Bhat was an Improvised Explosive Device (IED) expert.
The militants were linked with the Ansar Gazwat-ul-Hind (AGH) and were part of groups involved in several terror crime cases, including an IED blast and grenade attacks on police and security forces' establishments, the police official said.
He said two AK series rifles were recovered from their possession.
Meanwhile, a gunfight broke out between militants and security forces in the Srigufwara area of Anantnag district on Saturday night, the official said.
The exchange of firing was on and further details are awaited, he added.
