Two militants killed in encounter with security forces in J&K

SRINAGAR:  Two terrorists from the Islamic State of Jammu and Kashmir (ISJK), who were involved in the killing of five security personnel and several grenade and petrol bomb attacks on security forces in Srinagar, were killed in an encounter with troops in Danmar in Eidgah area of downtown Srinagar on Friday.

A team comprising CRPF and police personnel began a search operation at Alamdar Colony in Danmar on Thursday evening after receiving specific inputs about the presence of militants in the area. “After zeroing-in on their location, we asked them to surrender.

However, they fired indiscriminately at the troops. The troops returned fire, triggering an encounter,” he said. In the ensuing gunfight, which continued till Friday morning, two ISJK militants were killed. Two CRPF personnel sustained injuries. Police said an AK-47 rifle, one pistol and four grenades were recovered from the site of the encounter.

The deceased militants were identified as Irfan Ahmad Sofi and Bilal Ahmad Bhat, both residents of Natipora area of uptown Srinagar. The two had joined militancy in December last year. “Both militants were affiliated with TRF, the shadow outfit of Lashkar, but they had recently announced on social media that they had left the TRF and joined ISJK,” a police spokesman said. Inspector General of Police, Kashmir, Vijay Kumar said with the killing of two terrorists, a total of 78 terrorists have been killed in different encounters in Kashmir so far this year.

Instrumental in luring youth to terrorism 
A police spokesperson said the two terrorists have been instrumental in motivating and recruiting the youth to join terror folds in Srinagar and its adjoining areas.

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