SRI NAGAR: Two local militants belonging to Al Qaeda-linked Ansar Gazwal-ul-Hind (AGuH) outfit, who were involved in the recent attack on a labourer from West Bengal, were killed in an encounter with security forces in the Nowgam area of Srinagar on Wednesday evening.
A police official said that acting on specific information about the presence of militants, the police, CRPF and Army launched a joint combing and search operation in the area. After plugging all the possible escape routes, security personnel zeroed-in on the target area where the militants were hiding.
After finding themselves trapped, the militants opened fire on the search party. The fire was returned by the troops and in the ensuing firefight, which continued for about half an hour, two militants were killed. ADGP Kashmir Vijay Kumar said the slain militants belonged to the AGuH militant outfit.
He identified the slain militants as Aijaz Rasool Nazar of Pulwama and Shahid Ahmad alias Abu Hamza. “Both were involved in the recent militant attack on a labourer named Muneer-ul-Islam from West Bengal in Pulwama,” Kumar said. On Sept 2, militants had shot at and injured Muneer-ul-Islam in Ugergand area of Pulwama.
Meanwhile, militants lobbed a grenade towards a CRPF bunker in Tral area of south Kashmir’s Pulwama district. The grenade, however, missed the target and exploded on the road without causing any damage or injuries.