Two Hizbul Mujahideen militants were killed in an anti-militancy operation in south Kashmir’s Anantnag on Tuesday. An improvised explosive device (IED), weighing about 30-35 kg, was also recovered in Srinagar.
The two militants were killed in Poshkreeri village of Anantnag during a joint cordon and a search operation launched by the police and Army’s 3 Rashtriya Rifles “following a tip-off”.
“As the joint search party approached towards the suspected spot, the hiding terrorists fired indiscriminately upon the joint search party, which was retaliated effectively leading to an encounter,” the police said.
The slain militants were identified as Danish Ahmad Bhat alias Kokab Duree from Jablipora area of Anantnag’s Bijbehara and Basharat Nabi Lone from Anantnag’s Fatehpora.
“Both the killed terrorists were categorised terrorists and active since the year 2019. They were involved in the killing of two Territorial Army personnel, Manzoor Ahmad on June 06, 2019 and Mohammad Saleem, April 09, 2021. They were also involved in the killing of two civilians in Jablipora, Bijbehara area, in May in 2021,” the police said.
The police said incriminating materials, arms and ammunition including one AK-56 rifle, 35 AK rounds, two AK Magazines, one pistol, one pistol magazine and two pistol rounds were recovered from the site of the encounter.
In a separate operation, a search was launched in Srinagar’s Khonmoh area and an IED weighing about 30-35 kg was recovered.
“It was destroyed by the Bomb Disposal Squad. By recovering the IED, a possible attack has been averted,” the police said.
“By recovering the IED, a possible attack has been averted”Srinagar Police