SRINAGAR: Two Hizbul Mujahideen militants including a commander were killed in an encounter with security forces in Sopore area of north Kashmir’s Baramulla district in Jammu and Kashmir on Wednesday.
A police spokesman said acting on a specific information about presence of militants, police, CRPF and army men launched a joint combing and search operation in Pazalpora area of Sopore in North Kashmir’s Baramulla district last evening.
He said a house, where the militants were hiding, was encircled by the security personnel. “The holed-up militants were asked to surrender through loud speakers and other possible means”.
He said the militants, however, refused to surrender and fired from AK-47 rifles towards the security forces.
The fire was returned by the troops and in the ensuing gunfight, which continued till this morning, two Hizbul Mujahideen militants were killed.
The house, where from militants were firing on security forces, was damaged during the gunfight.
The slain militants were identified as Gulzar Ahmad Lone alias Ibrahim, district commander of Hizb and Basit Ahmad Mir alias Tahir. Lone hailed from Sopore while Mir hailed from Pattan area of Baramulla.
2 AK 47 rifles, 5 AK magazines, 124 AK rounds, 2 pouches and a grenade were recovered from the encounter site, the police spokesman said.
He said both the militants were involved in a number of militancy related cases.
“Lone was involved in mobile tower attacks and killing cases in 2015. He was instigating and luring the youth to join Hizb in Sopore,” the spokesman said.
Police later handed over bodies of militants to the family members.
Later, hundreds of people attended the funeral prayers of the slain militants at their ancestral areas in Baramulla district amidst chanting of pro-freedom and anti-India slogans.
Meanwhile, militants attacked a CRPF camp of 18 bn in Tral township in south Kashmir’s Pulwama district last evening.
A police official said militants fired two UBGL grenades towards the CRPF camp.
He said the grenades exploded outside the premises of the camp, without causing any damage.
It was the second militant attack on CRPF camp this month.
On June 12, militants had lobbed a grenade towards the CRPF camp, injuring two paramilitary personnel.