Kulgam, Nov 13: Police and security forces trapped a group of militants in Kujjar village of Kulgam district Tuesday after the gunmen earlier broke a cordon in a neighbouring village. One militant has been killed in the encounter and searches are on in the area.
Reports said a gun-battle raged between the forces and militants in Tashloo village of this South Kashmir district Monday evening. However the militants, reportedly three in number, broke the cordon and managed to escape.
Reports said on a specific tip-off a joint contingent of Special Operation Group (SOG) of Police, Army’s 1 Rashtriya Rifles (RR) and 18 Battalion CRPF cordoned off the village and laid siege around some houses where the militants were believed to be holed up.
“The militants opened fire, triggering an encounter which lasted for half an hour,” a police official said.
He said the operation was suspended later and resumed in the morning.
“The forces kept the area cordoned and then a search operation was carried out to comb the area,” said a police official.
He said that no militant was found during the search operation but the area remained cordoned off till late evening. Sources said the militants managed to broke the cordon and flee from the area.
Meanwhile, reports said that as soon as the cordon was lifted, another encounter broke out in nearby Kujjar village Tuesday evening.
“As soon as we called off the operation in Tashloo village, we received inputs that the same militants are now hiding in an orchard in Kujjar village of Frisal area of the district,” said DSP Headquarters, Shabir Ahmad.
He said while the area was being cordoned off, militants opened fire which was retaliated.
Police said one militant was killed in the encounter. The slain militant was later identified as Showkat Ahmad Tak, resident of Panzgam Pulwama.
A police spokesman said the militant was asked to surrender but he opened fire at the search parties and was killed in retaliatory action.
Police said Showkat Ahmad was involved in the killing of a policeman in Yaripora Kulgam.
The firing has stopped but the search operation was on at the encounter site when reports last came in.

Lastupdate on : Tue, 13 Nov 2012 21:30:00 Makkah time
Lastupdate on : Tue, 13 Nov 2012 18:30:00 GMT
Lastupdate on : Wed, 14 Nov 2012 00:00:00 IST