Three terrorists were killed in two separate encounters in the Kashmir region on Saturday, two in Anantnag district and one in Khanyar area of Srinagar district. Early in the day, two terrorists were killed in an encounter with security forces in the Shangus- Larnoo area in Anantnag. Late in the afternoon, one terrorist was killed after an encounter in the densely populated Khanyar area of Srinagar district.
The Anantnag operation took place near Halkan Gali, a location within south Kashmir where terrorists are often active. Sporadic terror activity is reported from this general area as it is a difficult terrain which has dense forests. After a long time, one terrorist was killed in a populated area of Srinagar district following a cordon and search operation.
An official said that of the two slain militants, one is said to have been identified as a foreign national while the other was a local Kashmiri. Officials are currently working to determine the group affiliations of the killed terrorists.
A top police officer told a local news agency that two militants have been killed so far as an operation is underway in the forest area of Shangus, Larnoo. It is likely that one more terrorist is trapped in the ongoing search and cordon operation. The operation was launched by police and security forces after receiving specific inputs about the presence of some terrorists in the area.
The Anantnag encounter coincides with an ongoing operation in Srinagar’s densely populated Khanyar locality, where security forces have trapped some terrorists in a house. So far, two CRPF jawans and two policemen have been injured in this encounter.
Security forces launched a cordon and search operation in Khanyar early on Saturday morning following inputs about the presence of terrorists. The house to house search operation turned into an encounter as the terrorists opened fire at one search party, which retaliated.
Two Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) jawans and two policemen were injured in the exchange of fire. They were taken to the Army’s 92 Base Hospital. Their condition is stated to be stable, according to officials. The operation is continuing. The body of the terrorist killed in Khanyar encounter is still lying under the debris on the site and had not been retrieved till the time of filing of this report.
During the past 15 days ever since Omar Abdullah has taken office, at least nine terror related incidents have taken place in five districts of Kashmir. These districts are Ganderbal, Shopian, Pulwama, Anantnag and Bandipora. One encounter has taken place in the Jammu region during this period and three terrorists were killed near Akhnoor some days ago.
Meanwhile, National Conference (NC) president Farooq Abdullah demanded a probe into surge in encounters after his son Omar Abdullah took charge as CM on October 16. “There should be an independent probe to find out who is doing it,’’ Dr Abdullah said at his residence on Gupkar Road while talking to some reporters.
About the ongoing Khanyar encounter, Dr Abdullah said: “Terrorists stuck in that encounter must not be killed and instead arrested. They should be arrested to find out whether there is any agency assigned the task to destabilise Omar government.’’
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