Two militants were killed in an encounter with security forces in Hardshiva area of Sopore in north Kashmir’s Baramulla district Thursday morning, police said.
A senior police official said that based on specific inputs about the presence of militants in Hardshiva village, a joint team of Jammu and Kashmir police, 22RR and CRPF cordoned the village on Wednesday night and launched a search operation in the area.
“Early morning, contact was established with the militants which led to fierce gunfight between the security forces and the hiding militants. Later two bodies of militants were recovered from the encounter site,” said Javed Iqbal, Senior Superintendent of Police, Sopore.
He identified the slain militants as Bilal Ahmad Parray of Yamarzalwari Shiva Sopore and Waleed Bashir Mir of Behrampora Rafiabad Sopore.
Police took the bodies of the militants and buried them in Sheeri Baramulla. Some family members of the militants were allowed to participate in the funeral, police said.
Lately, police have been denying the bodies of the militants to their families as their funerals attracted large crowds.
2G internet services in Sopore area were snapped by the authorities to thwart any attempts of protests.
In April, a local militant was killed in a gun-battle with the security forces in Sopore outskirts. In south Kashmir, security forces have killed 34 militants in this month.