Shopian: Day after killing of three top militants, government forces on Tuesday killed two more militants in Waghama village in Bijbehara area of Anantnag district .
The encounter erupted in the wee hours after a joint team of forces launched a cordon and search operation in the area.
Police in a statement said that identity of the militants is being ascertained and families who are claiming the bodies are advised to approach police as samples of DNA have been taken.
They said that a cordon and search operation by 3 Rashtriya rifles, Jammu and Kashmir police and central reserve police was launched on specific inputs about the presence of militants. “Both the militants were given the opportunity to surrender, however, they continued to fire indiscriminately upon forces which was retaliated which ensued into an encounter,” police said.
The slain militants were locally identified as Yawar Ahmad Bhat of Hattigam village in Bijbehara and Ukasha Muzaffar resident of Bugam village of district Kulgam.
The encounter, according to locals, took place in an open area around and continued for about three hours.
With the two fresh killings of militants, police said that a total 118 militants were killed in Kashmir in the last six months this year.
Mobile internet services in the district continued to remain barred since Monday morning.
Kashmir Inspector General of Police said that the killed militants along with militant Zahid were involved in killing of a policeman last year and killings of two CRPF personnel and one minor boy recently.
“Incriminating materials including arms and ammunition were recovered from the site of encounter,” it added.

Raashid Hassan