Forces ask trapped militants to surrender

Shopian: A gunfight between militants and government forces erupted in

Cheki Seediq Khan village in Nagisharan area of Shopian after an intense cordon and search operation was carried out in the village by a joint team of government forces on Sunday.

The anti-militancy operation, according to police sources, was launched by a joint team of government forces including 34 Rashtriya Rifles of army, Police and 178th battalion of central reserve police force after they had inputs about the presence of militants in the area.

Police sources said that two militants are believed to be trapped in a residential house which is under tight cordon and forces have installed flood lights so as not to give any chance to militants to escape.

Local sources said that around 8 pm, a few gunshots were heard near the encounter site which were presumed as warning shots. And around 9:30 pm, exchange of firing between forces and hiding militants began. According to police sources, militants fired on a joint search party which according to them was retaliated, however, there was no report about the loss of life or property when this report was being filed.

A police source said that announcements on loud speakers are being made to persuade the militants for surrender and the firefight has been halted.

Meanwhile, another cordon and search operation was carried out in Check Chottipora. But nothing was found there.

Locals from Check Chottipora, an area nearby forests, said that a joint team of government forces carried out searches in dozens of residential houses and other structures since the morning.

They said that the operation concluded without any trace of militants found in the area.

A police source said that this operation was launched by a joint team of government forces including 44 Rashtriya Rifles of army, Jammu and Kashmir police and 14th battalion of centre reserve police force (CRPF) in the village after inputs about the presence of militants in the area.

Raashid Hassan