Soldier, militant killed in Pulwama gunfight: Police

An army soldier and a militant were killed in a gunfight in Ratnipora area of south Kashmir’s Pulwama district on Tuesday morning, police said.

A police spokesperson said based on a “credible input” about the presence of militants in Ratnipora area of Pulwama, a cordon and search operation was launched in the intervening night jointly by Police and forces in the area.

   

He said as the searches were going on, the search party was fired upon by the militants. 

“The fire was retaliated leading to a gunfight,” the spokesperson said.

Police said in the ensuing encounter, one militant was killed and the body was retrieved from the site of encounter. 

Police version:

Apropos our earlier press release regarding the encounter at Ratnipora Pulwama, it is further informed that the killed militant has been identified as Hilal Ahmad Rather son of Gh Mohammad Rather resident of Behgambagh Kakapora district Pulwama.

As per police records, he was affiliated with proscribed terror outfit HM. He had a long history of crime records and was wanted by law for his complicity in a series of crimes including attack on security establishments and civilian atrocities, said the police spokesman.

Several cases were registered against him for his involvement in militant activities and prominent among them are FIR No. 312/2016 at PS Pulwama U/S 147, 148, 307, 337, 332, 427 RPC, FIR No. 371/2016 at PS Pulwama U/S 147, 148, 307, 337, 332, 427 RPC, FIR No. 296/2016 at PS Pulwama U/S 147, 148, 307, 337, 332, 427 RPC and FIR No. 8/2018 at PS Karan Nagar U/S 302, 120-B RPC, 7/27 Arms Act which pertains to the militant attack inside the premises of SMHS Hospital in which two cops were killed and a Pakistani militant Naveed Jatt @Hanzalla had managed to escape. 

Incriminating material such as arms & ammunition, was recovered from the site of encounter. All these materials have been taken in the case records for the purpose of investigation.

Body of the killed militant was handed over to his family after completion of medico-legal formalities.

Citizens are once again requested not to venture inside the encounter zone since 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.

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