Another encounter begins in Anantnag where 2 militants are believed to be trapped

Anantnag: A militant “part of a recently infiltrated militant group” was killed in a gunfight between militants and government forces in Bandipora district of north Kashmir, even as another gunfight raged in Anantnag district of south Kashmir, on Wednesday.
The slain militant is yet to be identified. Police, however, said that the militant was a part of a recently infiltrated militant group.
“Search for two other militants in the area is going on,” Inspector General of Police (IGP) Kashmir, Vijay Kumar, said. The gunfight took place in Salinder forest area of Bandipora district late Wednesday afternoon.
A senior police official from the area said that the forest area was encircled following inputs regarding the presence of a group of two to three militants, who had recently infiltrated into the area from Pakistan.
“The militants, soon as they sensed trouble, opened indiscriminate fire which was retaliated triggering a fierce gunfight,” the official said, adding, “One of the militants was killed in the exchange of fire.”
The police official said that the body of the militant was retrieved along with an AK-47 rifle and three magazines, and some incriminating material. “We are trying to ascertain the identity of the slain, following which he will be buried at an undisclosed location,” the official said.
He said that the cordon in the area has been strengthened and a massive manhunt has been launched in the forest area. “We believe the other militants are hiding in the woods and will soon be tracked down,” the official said.
A similar operation was launched in Marhama village of Anantnag district, soon after the operation in Bandipora was launched. Police said that there were inputs regarding the presence of two militants in the area.
“Soon after the cordon and search operation was launched, the militants fired from their hiding place at the cordon detail,” a police official from Anantnag said, adding, “The fire was retaliated but soon the guns from the other side fell silent.”
Local sources told Kashmir Reader that there has been no firing after the initial burst, while the cordon and the search operation continues to remain intact. The authorities snapped mobile internet services in the Marhama village and some adjoining areas, including Bijbehara town soon after the gunfight began.
“We believe the militants might have escaped in the initial firing, but a combing operation is being carried out to ensure there is no presence of militants in the area,” a police source told Kashmir Reader.
This is the third encounter this month in Anantnag district. The first took place in the forest area of Batkoot, along the Pahalgam route, wherein Hizb commander Ashraf Moulvi was slain along with two of his associates.
The second gunfight was reported from Dooru area of the district, where two militants were killed. After both the gunfights, police said that the militants were planning to carry out attacks on the upcoming Amarnath Yatra and the threat has been neutralised.

Suhail A Shah