Srinagar: Three unidentified militants were killed in an encounter in Mirhama area of Kulgam district in south Kashmir on Wednesday evening.
“Encounter has started at Mirhama area of Kulgam. Police and security forces are on the job. Further details shall follow. @JmuKmrPolice,”
Kashmir Zone Police said in a Tweet late Wednesday evening.
In another Tweet, police said one militant was killed in the encounter. “KulgamEncounterUpdate: 1 unidentified terrorist killed. Operation going on. Further details shall follow. @JmuKmrPolice,” read the Tweet.
However, Inspector General of Police, Kashmir, Zone , Vijay Kumar later confirmed that three militants were killed in the operation.
“Three militants have been killed so far in the ongoing Mirhama Kulgam operation,” Kumar said. “Area is under cordon and searches are going on, ” Kumar added.
“KulgamEncounterUpdate: 2 more unidentified #terrorists killed (Total 3). Search going on. Further details shall follow. @JmuKmrPolice,” police later said in another Tweet.
Sources in Police said that one among the three slain militants is a commander of Hizbul Mujahideen. They said that arms and ammunition were recovered from the slain militants.
Police said the encounter broke out after police, Rashtriya Rifle and CRPF cordoned off Mirhama on specific inputs of presence of the militant (s) in the area. Police said as the presence of militant(s) was ascertained, they were asked to surrender.
However, police said that militant(s) opened firing and in retaliatory firing one militant was killed. “Operation is underway,” police said. Intermittent firing was going on when this report was being filed.