Shopian: Two army soldiers and a militant were killed in an encounter at Chermarag village in Zainpora area of south Kashmir’s Shopian on Saturday.
A police official said a cordon and search operation was launched by a joint team of government forces including 1 Rashtriya Rifles of army, 178th battalion of CRPF and Police in the village after inputs about the presence of militants in the area after “credible inputs about the presence of militants”.
Police sources said that when the search operation was being carried out the hiding militant fired upon government forces. They said that the fire was retaliated ensuing into an encounter.
According to the police spokesperson, during searches a local Gowhar Ahmad Bhat in whose house the militant was hiding “intentionally misled the search party and denied sheltering the militant in his house”.
While questioning him, a militant hiding in his house opened fire on the search party resulting in grievous injuries to two Army soldiers, the police said in a handout.
It said that injured soldiers were immediately removed to hospital for treatment. The duo identified as Santosh Yadav and Romit Kumar succumbed to their injuries at the hospital.
In the encounter, one Lashkar-e-Toiba militant identified as Abdul Qayoom Dar son of Ghulam Mohi-ud-din Dar resident of Laroo Kakapora Pulwama was killed, police added.
A residential house has also sustained predominant damages in the firefight.
Citing police records, the police official said killed militant was working as a militant associate before signing up as a militant. It said that the slain militant’s house was also being used as a hideout for militants and an encounter took place in his house and subsequently he was booked under PSA in April 2020. He was released, according to police, in August last year but he kept working as an associate for active militants.
Earlier this week, SSP Pulwama officially informed that he had left the house and joined LeT and was listed as “C” category militant, it added.
“Incriminating materials, arms and ammunition including 1 AK-series rifle, 1 Pistol were recovered from the site of the encounter. All the recovered materials have been taken into case records for further investigation. In this regard, a case under relevant sections of law has been registered and investigation has been initiated,” police said.

Raashid Hassan