KHONMOH GUNFIGHT: 2 militants killed

Two Jaish-e-Muhammad militants were killed in a gunfight with government forces in Khonmoh area on the outskirts of Srinagar on Saturday.

Their killing, said Kashmir range inspector general of police SP Pani, “mitigated” a potential threat on the R-Day. Six forces personnel including a police sub-inspector and two soldiers were also injured in the encounter that was accompanied by massive clashes between civilian protesters and the forces near the encounter spot and neighbouring areas.

   

Police said that acting on a specific lead about the presence of militants in a residential house in Khonmoh, a joint cordon and search operation was launched by the police, army and the CRPF at 5.30 am.

“As the house was zeroed in on by the forces, the two hiding militants opened indiscriminate fire at the forces, triggering an encounter,” a police official said. “The forces responded effectively killing two militants in a clean operation.”

The killing of the militants coincided with January 26 and the forces were in a high alert mode to thwart any possible bid by militants to disrupt the R-day function.

Pani said the material and ammunition recovered from the two slain militants suggested that they belonged to Jaish-e-Muhammad outfit.

A police official said the militants were “possibly assigned with the task of carrying out a strike on R-day eve.”

He said that during the initial assault six forces’ personnel that include sub inspector police, three paramilitary CRPF men and two soldiers sustained injuries. 

“All the injured are stable and out of danger,” the officer said. 

Police identified one of the slain militants as SaqibShafi Dar of Arihal, Pulwama while the identity of second one was being ascertained.

“Two AK 47 riffles, two magazines, other ammunition and incriminating material were recovered from the slain militants,” police said. The residential house where the militants were hiding suffered partial damage.

Residents of Khomoh area said they woke up to the sound of gunfire and, within no time, dozens of youth pelted the forces with stones, in a bid to distract them and help the besieged militants escape.

Police and CRPF men fired teargas canisters into the protesters. A witness said that clashes between people and the government forces were on till late evening.  

A police statement released later in the day urged the people not to go near the site of gunfight as “such an area can prove dangerous due to stray explosive materials”. 

“People are requested to cooperate with police till the area is completely sanitized and cleared of all the explosive materials, if any,” the spokesman said.  

January 2019 has been bloody as official figures suggest that at least 18 militants were killed so far in various encounters in southern Kashmir, Budgam and Srinagar districts

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