Kashmir

Three Lashkar militants killed in Shopian encounter

SRINAGAR — Three militants, affiliated with Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) militant outfit were killed in an encounter that broke out between government forces and militants at Munjh Marg area of Zainapora in Shopian district of South Kashmir on Tuesday.

Reports said a joint team of government forces including Indian Army, J&K Police and CRPF had launched Cordon-and-Search-Operation (CASO) at Munjh Marg area of Zainapora following the inputs about presence of militants in the area.

They said that as the joint team of forces approached the suspected spot, militants fired upon them which was retaliated, triggering an encounter.

In the encounter, three militants, affiliated with Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) militant outfit were killed and they have been identified as Mohd Lateef Lone, resident of Check Kachidoora Shopian, Umer Nazir Bhat, resident of Check Ban Dialgam Anantnag and Danish Hussain Kakroo of Old Town Baramulla.

Incriminating materials, arms & ammunition including 01 AK-47 rifle, 02 Pistols and 02 Grenades were recovered from the site of encounter.

Police in a statement said, as per police records, all the killed militants were categorized militants and involved in several terror crime cases including attacks on Police/SFs and civilian atrocities.

The statement said that the killed militant Latif Ahmad was involved in killing of a Kashmiri Pandit Shri Purana Krishna Bhat. While as, the killed militant Umer Nazir was involved in several terror crime cases including killing of Till Bahadur Thapa of Nepal.

ADGP Kashmir, Vijay Kumar congratulated the joint team of police and security forces for conducting successful operation without any collateral damage and termed the operation as a big success.

He also said that all the militant modules involved in civilian killings in the last three years have been neutralized and there is only one left which will be neutralized soon. — (KIMS)