Shopian: Four militants were killed in two separate encounters in south Kashmir on Saturday, police said.
In the first encounter which broke out in Shopian’s Chowgam village, two local militants were killed by government forces in the 12-hour long firefight. A residential house was also damaged in the encounter.
According to police sources, a cordon and search operation was launched at Chowgam village on outskirts of Shopian town by joint team of government forces including army’s 44 Rashtriya Rifles, 14th battalion of CRPF and Police around 11 pm on Friday.
They said that when searches were being carried out in residential houses at around 2:30 am, hiding militants fired up on joint team of forces resulting into an encounter.
Two local militants, according to a police spokesperson, were killed in the overnight military operation. The house in which both the militants were trapped was situated in isolation from the main village and was surrounded by apple orchards.
Both the slain militants were identified as Sajad Ahmad Chek of Brari village of Shopian and Raja Basit Nazir, a resident of Achan village of Shopian.
The encounter took place a kilometre away from the Chowgam army camp which is situated some 500 meters away from Shopian town.
After the news of encounter broke out, mobile internet services were barred in the district.
A complete shutdown was observed in Shopian in the wake of the encounter.
In another encounter, two militants were affiliated with Ansar Gazwatul Hind were killed in Tral area in Pulwama district. According to police, government forces laid a cordon and search operation in the afternoon after getting specific input about presence of militants in Hardumir village in Tral.
During searches, trapped militants fired upon forces leading into an encounter, police said.
Before the gunfight, according to police, the militants were given ample opportunities to surrender. However, they denied the surrender opportunities and instead fired indiscriminately upon the joint search party which was retaliated leading to an encounter, it added.
Two militants were killed and their bodies were retrieved from the site of encounter. They have been identified as Nadeem Nazir Bhat son of Nazir Ahmad Bhat resident of Koil Shikargah Tral and Rahi Rasool Bhat @ Adil son of Ghulam Rasool resident of Kanipora Dadsara.

Raashid Hassan