Srinagar: Two militants affiliated with Jaish-e-Mohammad were killed on Wednesday in a gunfight that broke out the previous night in Mochuwa area of Chadoora in Budgam.
On Tuesday evening, government forces comprising Police, Army’s 50 Rashtriya Rifles and CRPF launched a cordon and search operation on an input about presence of militants.
When forces reached the suspected spot during, the hiding militants opened indiscriminate fire triggering a firefight.
A police spokesperson said that militants were given the opportunity to surrender but they opened fire.
Later in the wake of darkness, the operation was suspended but forces maintained tight cordon during night.
When the operation was resumed in the wee hours, bodies of both the killed militants were retrieved from the site of the encounter.
The duo affiliated with JeM were identified as Javaid Ahmad Ganie of Pulwama and Khalid @Ilyas, a Pakistani national, the police added.
As has been a norm now, the bodies of the militants would be sent to burial to Handwara after completion of all medico-legal formalities. “The nearest family members of the identified killed local militant shall be allowed to participate in the last rites at Handwara,” police said.
It said that incriminating materials including arms and ammunition were recovered from the site of encounter.

Reader correspondent