PULWAMA — Two local militants of different militant outfits were killed in an overnight encounter that broke out between government forces and militants at Rajpora village in Awantipora town of Pulwama district in South Kashmir on Monday.
Reports said a joint team of government forces including Indian Army, J&K Police and CRPF had launched Cordon-and-Search-Operation (CASO) at Rajpora village in Awantipora 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 two local militants were killed and they have been identified as Shahid Ahmad Rather, son of Ghulam Ahmad Rather from Larow Jageer, Tral affiliated with Jaish-e-Mohammad (JeM) militant outfit and Umar Yousuf, son of Mohd Yousef resident from Tukro Keegam, Shopian affiliated with Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) militant outfit.
Incriminating materials, arms and ammunition including 02 AK-47 rifles were recovered from the site of encounter.
As per police records, both the killed militants were categorized militants and part of groups involved in several terror crime cases including attacks on Police/SF and civilian atrocities.
According to police statement, “killed militant Shahid was involved in killing of a lady Mst Shakeela of Aripal and a government employee Javaid Ahmad of Lurgam Tral”, adding, “He was also involved in motivating/recruiting local youth to join militant ranks and on his motivation Mohd Shafi Dar of Wagad Tral had joined militant ranks who was later on neutralized in an anti-militancy operation in Kulgam on 29/12/21”. — (KIMS)