Srinagar: Five militants, including a commander of banned militant outfit The Resistance Front (TRF), were killed in two different encounters in Kulgam district of south Kashmir, while both the operations were underway till late Wednesday night, police said.
The encounters took place at Pombay and Gopalpora areas of Kulgam after police, Army and CRPF cordoned off both places following inputs of presence of militants. Three militants have been killed in the Pombay operation while two were killed in the Gopalopra operation.
Gopalpora operation:
The police said that in Gopalpora operation, two militants including a commander of TRF were killed, while massive searches were on. The militants killed in Gopalpora operation were identified by police as Afaq Skinder, resident of Ray Kapren Shopian. Police said he was district commander of TRF and was active since December 2020.
Another militant was identified by police as Irfan Mushtaq Lone of Shadcheck Shopian, who according to police was active since June 2021.
Quoting IGP Kashmir, a police spokesman in Tweet said in Gopalopra operation TRF commander has been killed. “GopalporaEncounterUpdate: Terrorist Commander of proscribed terror outfit TRF Afaq Sikander killed in encounter: IGP Kashmir@JmuKmrPolice,” Kashmir Zone Police said in a Tweet.
The operation was launched by J&K Police, 9 Rashtriya Rifles and CRPF after inputs of presence of militants. “Encounter has started at Gopalpora area of #Kulgam. Police and security forces are on the job. Further details shall follow. @JmuKmrPolice,” police said in Tweet soon after encounter broke.
After brief firefight police said two militants were killed. “GopalporaEncounterUpdate: 02 unidentified terrorists killed. Operation in progress. Further details shall follow. @JmuKmrPolice,” police had said in another Tweet.
Police said that operation in Gopalopra was underway as massive searches were going on.
Pombay operation:
Another anti-militancy operation was launched by Police, 9 RR and CRPF in Pombay, about one kilometer away from Gopalpora after inputs of presence of militants.
“Encounter has started at Pombay area of Kulgam. Police and security forces are on the job. Further details shall follow .@JmuKmrPolice,” Kashmir Zone Police said in a Tweet soon after encounter broke.
Later after about an hour, police said two militants were killed. “KulgamEncounterUpdate: 02 unidentified terrorists killed. Operation in progress. Further details shall follow. @JmuKmrPolice,” police said in another Tweet.
Later in the evening, police said one more militant has been killed in Pombay operation. #KulgamEncounterUpdate: 01 more terrorist killed in Pombai Encounter (Total 03). Identification of the killed terrorists being ascertained. Search going on. Further details shall follow.@JmuKmrPolice,”police in Tweet on Wednesday evening.
Earlier last week, two Hizbul Mujahideen militants were killed in Kulgam.The operation to zero down on militants from Chawalgam area of Kulgam district was carried out last Thursday after J&K Police, 9 Rashtriya Rifles and CRPF cordoned off the area.