Srinagar, May 5: Army and Special Operation Group (SOG) of J&K Police today claimed to have killed two local militants of Lashker-e-Toiba (LeT) in an encounter in Pattan area of north Kashmir district Baramulla.
Giving the details of encounter, General Officer Commanding (GOC) Kilo Force, Major General Sarat Chand said that Friday evening they got specific information about the movement of suspected militants in Nilllah village of Pattan.
He said that a column of 29 Rashtriya Rifles and SOG went to the village and established a cordon of the area. “During the searches we found that two suspected people were hiding in bathroom of an under construction house in the village,” he said adding that due to darkness the operation was suspended, however, the cordon was tightened.
In the morning, he said, the operation was resumed and in the first instance, the people living around the under construction house were evacuated. He said the village Sarpanch was brought to the place and an offer of surrender was made to suspected militants. “We started searches, the hiding militants opened fire on joint party of RR and police,” Major Gen Chand said adding the fire was retaliated and gun battle started.
“In the retaliatory fire two militants were killed and both were locals,” he said and identified them as Nissar Ahmad of same village and Muhammad Ibrahim of Sopore. “Ibrahim was having an identity card as 2nd year student of government degree college Sopore,” the senior army officer said and added that initially it was said they belong to Hizbul Mujahideen, but latter they proved out to be LeT militants.
GOC said that both the bodies were handed over the locals. “There was no collateral damage and no heavy weapon was used during the operation,” he said.
Inspector General of Police (IGP) Kashmir zone SM Sahai told Greater Kashmir that both the militants have got recruited in LeT quiet recently.
Meanwhile, amid pro-freedom slogans both the militants were buried in their ancestral villages Saturday evening. Hundreds of people participated in funeral processions.

Lastupdate on : Sat, 5 May 2012 21:30:00 Makkah time
Lastupdate on : Sat, 5 May 2012 18:30:00 GMT
Lastupdate on : Sun, 6 May 2012 00:00:00 IST