Four Militants Killed In Overnight Encounter In Kashmir’s Shopian

Four militants have been killed in an overnight encounter with the security forces in Melhora village of Shopian district.

FILE PIC - Shopian: Army soldiers leave after an encounter with militants in Shopian district of south Kashmir, Friday, April 17, 2020. Two militants were killed in the gun-battle. (PTI Photo)

Srinagar: Four militants have been killed in an overnight encounter with the security forces in Melhora village of Shopian district. The J&K police have confirmed the killings and said that four bodies have been recovered from the encounter site. The identity of the militants has not been revealed as per the new norms that were enforced due to the coronavirus outbreak. According to the police, a joint operation was launched at around 10 PM last night after receiving specific inputs regarding the presence of militants in the village. A joint team of Army, J&K police and CRPF cordoned off the village and started a search operation. They then started firing at a house in which the militants were hiding. Intermittent firing continued through the night between the militants and security forces. The troops were able to storm the house in the morning killing two militants. While two militants who had managed to escape were surrounded by the troops and killed around 9 am. The four bodies along with arms and ammunition have been recovered from the spot. Police have not revealed the identity or the organization to which the militants are affiliated. However, sources say that all the four militants are locals who belonged to an Al Qaida affiliate, Ansar Ghazwa-Tul-Hind (AGH). Sources also say that the top J&K chief commander of the AGH is among the dead. Due to the coronavirus pandemic and the rising cases in Kashmir new norms have been issued whereby the identity of militants will not be revealed and they will be declared as ‘unidentified’. This is to prevent mass gathering during funerals such as what happened at Sopore in Baramullah district when hundreds of people joined the funeral organized for a Jaish militant. More precautions are being taken to prevent the spread of the virus and the police also buried the bodies of two local militants who were killed in Kulgam encounter at Baramulla in an area where foreign militants are buried. However, after two families approached police for the bodies, a DNA test was ordered. The bodies will be handed over after receiving the reports.