Three militants were killed in a gunfight with government forces in the restive Shopian district in southern Kashmir on Thursday, police said.
One of the slain militants belonged to Hizbul Mujahideen,while two others were affiliated with Lashkar-e-Toiba, a police official said.
The gun-battle took place in Yarwan, Kellar area—some 13kilometers from Shopian town—at around 1.30 am.
This is fourth gunfight in the district since January thisyear.
The police official said the soldiers of army’s 23 para,central reserve police force (CRPF) and special operations group of Jammu andKashmir police cordoned off a part of Yarwan forests and started a searchoperation.
“As the operation was in progress, the militants hiding in ahideout opened fire on the forces,” the official said.
He said the forces immediately returned the fire, leading toan encounter.
“After the initial exchange of firing, there was a long lullthat was broken by another brief spell of exchange of fire at around 7 in themorning,” the official said, adding that the gun-battle finally ended with thekilling of three militants.
The official identified the slain militants as BasharatAhmad Mir son of Muhammad Rafiq, Aqib Ahmad Dar son of Abdul Ahad and SajadAhmad Khanday son of Muhammad Akbar—residents of Wasoora, Bhatnoor and Bamnoovillages of Pulwama district, respectively.
While Basharat was associated with Hizbul Mujahideen, Aqiband Sajad were associated with Lashkar-e-Toiba, the official said, adding thatthe trio was active since 2017.
As news of the killings of militants spread, scores of youthin Shopian town took to streets and pelted forces with stones, a witness said.
The forces, in turn, responded by firing teargas shells, hesaid.
The Shopian and neighbouring Pulwama districts observed acomplete shutdown.
In the afternoon, the bodies of the slain militants werehanded over to their families for the last rites.
Thousands of mourners converged in the native villages ofthe slain militants and participated in their multiple rounds of funeralprayers.
The slain militants were laid to rest at their ancestralgraveyards.
Meanwhile, authorities blocked the cellular mobile servicesin both Shopian and Pulwama districts.
POLICE STATEMENT
In a statement, a police spokesman said that “with theefforts of the police and security forces, it was a clean operation and nocollateral damage happened during the encounter”.
“The police have registered a case and initiatedinvestigation in the matter. Incriminating materials including three AK 47rifles were recovered from the site of encounter,” the statement read.
The police asked the people to not venture inside theencounter zone “since such an area can prove dangerous due to stray explosivematerials”.
“People are requested to cooperate with the police till thearea is completely sanitised and cleared of all the explosives materials ifany,” the statement read.
“The slain militants were identified as Sajad Khanday, AqibAhmad Dar and Basharat Ahmad Mir, all residents of Pulwama. According to thepolice records, it was a combined group of proscribed outfits HM and LeT. Theywere wanted by law for their complicity in a series of crimes including attackson security establishments and civilian atrocities,” the police statement,adding: “As per police records, Aqib had a long history of crime records andseveral crime cases were registered against him. He was involved in conspiringand executing many attacks in the area”.
“Similarly, Sajad and Basharat were involved in many attacksand several crime cases were also registered against them,” the statement read.
HIZB PAYS TRIBUTES
Meanwhile, Hizbul Mujahideen Thursday paid rich tribute tothree militants killed in Shopian.
Local news gathering agency CNS quoted the operationalspokesperson of the outfit Burhanuddin as saying in a statement: “Hizb chiefSyed Salahuddin presided over a special meeting to mourn the loss of thesemilitants. Salahuddin said the killing of these militants is really painful buttheir sacrifices won’t go waste and bear fruit one day”.