Two Hizbul militants, OGW killed in Shopian encounter, says Police

A soldier was also injured in the encounter.

A police official told UNI that troops of Rashtriya Rifles (RR), Special Operation Group (SOG) of Jammu and Kashmir police and CRPF launched a joint search operation at village Draggad Sugan, Shopian in the wee hours of Friday following a tip off about the presence of militants.

However, when the security forces were sealing the village, militants hiding in the nearby orchards opened indiscriminate firing with automatic weapons, causing injuries to a soldier.

The security forces retaliated, ensuing in an encounter. “Two militants and an 'OGW' were killed in the exchange of fire,” the official said, adding bodies of all three have been recovered.

He said one of the slain militants has been identified as Saju Magrey while the identity of another ultra is being ascertained. “Magrey was affiliated with HM,” he said, adding the identity of the OGW is also being ascertained.

The other two are also believed to be associated with HM, he said.

Huge cache of arms and ammunition was recovered from the encounter site.

Meanwhile, security forces and state police personnel deployed outside the cordon off area resorted to lathicharge and burst teargas shells to disperse demonstrators, who were trying to disrupt the operation. Clashes between demonstrators, mostly youths, and security forces were also going on when the reports last came in.

Authorities have suspended mobile internet service as a precautionary measure in Shopian.

Image: UNI