SRINAGAR: Three encounters took place in Jammu and Kashmir on Saturday in which four terrorists, including a Hizbul Mujahideen commander allegedly involved in the abduction and murder of Army jawan Aurangzeb last year, were killed.
The Army, CRPF and J&K police launched a joint search operation in Awantipora in South Kashmir’s Pulwama district. After the terrorists fired on the forces, there was a three-hour-long encounter in which three Hizb terrorists, all locals, were killed.
Among them was Showkat Dar, a Hizb leader who planned and executed many attacks on security forces, including the killing of Aurangzeb, a police officer said.
Aurangzeb, a Rashtriya Rifles jawan who had taken part in many anti-terror operations, was abducted by terrorists from Pulwama while he was going to Poonch to spend Eid with his family in June 2018. He was posthumously conferred the Shaurya Chakra last year.
While a terrorist was killed during an encounter in north Kashmir’s Baramulla district, all terrorists escaped during an anti-terror operation in south Kashmir’s Anantnag district.
Forces pelted with stones
The youth of the area attempted to march towards the encounter site in Pulwama district. When intercepted, they pelted stones at the security forces.