Four Hizbul militants killed in Shopian encounter

With this a total of nine HM militants, including a top commander, were killed by security forces in two different encounters in the valley during the past 24 hours.

Defence Ministry spokesperson Colonel Rajesh Kalia told UNI that following specific information, troops of 44 Rashtriya Rifles (RR), 14 battalion of CRPF and Special Operation Group (SOG) of Jammu and Kashmir police launched a joint CASO at Pinjoora in Shopian early this morning.

When the troops were moving towards a particular area after sealing all exit points, militants hiding there opened indiscriminate firing with automatic weapons, the spokesperson said.

“Security forces also retaliated and in the encounter, four militants were killed,” he said.

A police spokesperson said that the identification of the killed militants is being ascertained. However, he said as per credible information the killed militants belonged to proscribed outfit HM.

He said bodies of militants have been sent to Baramulla for their last rites. “Families of militants, if any, are requested to identify them at Baramulla. If identified, they can participate in burial and last rites as per religious practices,” he said.

The spokesperson informed that incriminating material, including arms and ammunition, were recovered from the site of encounter. “All the recovered materials have been taken into case records for further investigation and to probe their complicity in other crimes,” he said.

A top HM commander was among five militants killed in an encounter which ensued after security forces launched a CASO on Sunday at Reban in Shopian. “Bodies of all the five militants have been identified by their families at burial site and they participated in their last rites on Sunday night,” he added.