Two militants were killed early today in an encounter with the forces in Sopore area of North Kashmir’s while people lodged strong protests to disrupt the cordon and search operation in Hajin during the day.

Two militants were killed in the encounter that started last night between the forces and militants in Sopore area, an army official said. The militants were holed up inside a house in Pazalpora village in Sopore township of Baramulla district.

The army official said two weapons were seized from the possession of the militants during the operations. According to police two HM militants including a district commander were killed in the encounter which was started after a specific information about the presence of militants in Pazalpora area of Sopore.

A police spokesman said  that the Sopore police which was assisted by the personnel of 22 RR, 179, 177, 92 Bns of  CRPF  and North Range QRT of CRPF launched a cordon and search operation in the area. During cordon and search operation militants present in the area fired upon the joint search party.

“Although the holed up militants were asked to surrender through loud speakers and other possible means, but they denied to surrender. The militants continuously fired upon the joint search party, which was retaliated. During the retaliation, two HM militants were killed,’’ said a police spokesman.

The slain militants were identified as Gulzar Ahmad Lone @ Ibrahim, District Commander of HM son of Ghulam Mohammad Lone resident of Gund Brath, Sopore and Basit Ahmad Mir @Tahir  son of Mohammad Ahsan Mir resident of Andergam Pattan. Besides the two 2 AK 47 rifles, 5 AK Magazines,  124 AK rounds, 2 pouches and a grenade was recovered from the encounter site.

“Both the slain militants were involved in a number of subversive, militancy related cases in Sopore. They were involved in murder case of one Aijaz Ahmad Reshi of Mundji Sopore. They were also involved in murder case of Nazir Ahmad @Edu-l-Amin of Behrampora Sopore. Gulzar Ahmad Lone was involved in mobile tower attacks and killing cases in the year 2015. His role was instrumental in instigating and luring the youth to join the HM outfit in Sopore,’’ said a police official.

According to sources following intelligence inputs about the presence of militants, security forces had launched a cordon and search operation last night. A police official said the search operation was halted for the night but the forces maintained the cordon to stop the militants from escaping. The operation was resumed this morning and the gunfight started after the trapped militants opened fire on the forces, he said.

An official said that the militants opened fire on the search party. “The fire was retaliated, triggering an encounter,” he said.  “Acting on a specific information about the presence of some militants  forces launched a joint operation. After the operation militants hidden in the area started firing upon forces. Forces retaliated with exchange of firing which resulted in the fierce gun battle. During the night forces stopped firing  till 3 am. But heavy firing again started in wee hours on Wednesday during  and continued till 7 am after that forces claimed to have killed two Hizb militants,’’ said sources.

Defence Spokesman, Col Rajesh Kalia, told Kashmir Vision that the militants were killed in the gunfight early morning  and two weapons were recovered from their possession, while the operation remained in progress later as well.

Clashes erupted during the cordon and search operation (CASO) in Hajin area of North  Kashmir’s Bandipora district. As per the reports the clashes erupted between  government forces and the protesters in the Hajin area of North Kashmir’s Bandipora district Wednesday immediately after the forces launched a cordon and search operation (CASO).

The cordon and subsequent searches were launched in the Naid Mohallah Hajin after the forces received inputs about the presence of militants, sources said.  Acting on the tip off, the personnel from the Army’s 14  RR, police’s SOG and CRPF started the operation. However, as soon as the cordon was launched a large number of youth took to streets and started pelting stones on forces to help disrupt their operation. In the retaliatory action, the government forces lobbed tear gas shells to disperse the protesters triggering clashes in the area. However, no loss of life was reported even as the searches and clashes continued intermittently in the area.

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