Two Hizb militants killed in Kulgam gunfight

Srinagar, May 22 (KNS): Two Hizb-ul-Mujahideen militants were Wednesday killed in an encounter that raged between forces and militants in Gopalpora area of South Kashmir’s Kulgam district.

The gunfight as per police officials broke out after a cordon and Search Operation was launched in the village following credible inputs about the presence of militants there.

Police said during the search operation, the hiding militants fired on the search party, which was retaliated, thus leading to an encounter.

In the ensuing encounter, two militants were killed and the bodies were retrieved from the site of encounter. They identified the slain militant as Irfan Manzoor Bhat of Poniwah Kulgam and Zahid Ahmad Mantoo of Ferripora Shopian.

Police said both the slain militants were affiliated with HM, adding that “they were wanted by law for their complicity in crimes including attack on security establishments and civilian atrocities.”

As per police records, Zahid was involved in planning and executing series of attacks in the area and many other civilian atrocities, police said, adding that several cases were registered against him. “Zahid was involved in case FIR No 307/2018 pertaining to the killing of three policemen at Batgund Shopian last year. He was also involved in case FIR No 304/2018, 343/2018, 352/2018, 361/2018 pertaining to terror attacks and civilian atrocities in the area,” police spokesman said.

Irfan as per police had joined HM recently and was part of the group involved in killing of Abdul Majeed Dar of Shalipora Kulgam for which case FIR No. 40/2019 was registered in P/S Kulgam. Some other criminal cases were also registered against him, police said.

Police said that incriminating materials including arms and ammunition was recovered from the site of encounter.

Meanwhile, a case has been registered and all these materials have been taken in the case records for the purpose of investigation and to probe their complicity in other cases, police said.

Moreover, police urged people not to venture inside the encounter zone since such an area can prove dangerous due to stray explosive materials. “People are requested to cooperate with police till the area is completely sanitized and cleared of all the explosive materials if any,” police said. (KNS) 

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