Jehangeer Ganai
Shopian, June 19: Eight militants were killed in two encounters in Southern districts of Pulwama and Shopian in the past 24 hours. The slain include two militants who had taken refuge inside a mosque in Meej area of Pampore in Pulwama district.
On Thursday one unidentified militant was killed in an encounter that broke out in the village Bandpawa in Chitragam Tehsil of Shopian district.
Officials said that with the first light of the day, four more militants were killed taking the total number of slain militants in Bandpawa gunfight to five.
A security official told KNO that as the operation progressed, amid heavy exchange of firing from both sides, four more militants were killed in the gunfight taking the total number of militants killed to five. “The bodies of five slain have been retrieved and their identity and affiliation is being ascertained,” the official said, adding that the arms and ammunition have been recovered from the slain militants.
Defence spokesman in Srinagar Colonel Rajesh Kalia, however, confirmed the killing of four militants.
About the Meej encounter in Pampore area of Pulwama, Inspector General of Police Kashmir zone, Vijay Kumar said that “patience and professionalism worked.”
“No use of firing and IED. Used tear smoke shells only. Maintained sanctity of the mosque. Both militants hiding inside the mosque neutralized,” he said. With the killing of two more militants, the total number of slain militants in Meej gunfight reached to three as one unidentified militant was killed on Thursday while two others had entered into a local mosque.
