Srinagar (Jammu and Kashmir): Four militants including a Pakistani national were killed in two separate encounters at Srinagar and Kulgam during past 24 hours, police said.
Three militants were killed in an encounter in Zoonimar locality of Srinagar today, including the one who had recently killed two BSF personnel in Pandach in Ganderbal district.
Four militants killed in 24 hours in Kashmir Inspector General of Police, Kashmir Range, Vijay Kumar, said that the three militants killed in Srinagar were affiliated with ISJK.
Kumar said that one AK-47 rifle, two pistols were recovered from the three dead militants.
"They have been identified as Shakoor Farooq Langoo of Bharthana, Srinagar and Shahid Ahmad Bhat of Semthan, Bijbehara. The identification of the other killed terrorist is yet to be ascertained," he said.
Kumar said that before the encounter, security forces gave an offer of surrender to the three militants which they declined.
"The hiding militants were repeatedly appealed to surrender through family members and community members of the area but instead they started firing indiscriminately upon search party, which was retaliated leading to an encounter," he said.
The IGP said that Shakoor Farooq Lango was involved in the killing of two BSF personnel at 90 ft road Soura on May 20 and the snatched AK rifle belonging to the BSF personnel was recovered from the site of encounter.
Also read: Three militants killed in Srinagar, operation continues
The IGP said that despite being a congested locality no collateral damage took place.
Eyewitness told ETV Bharat that the house where the encounter took place has suffered damage.
"The window panes and doors of the house have been smashed. Its walls are perforated with bullet marks. All the belongings and household items is damaged and reduced to mere wastage," they said.
About the militant killed in Kulgam on Saturday, Kumar said he was identified as Tayab Waleed aka Imran Bhai aka Gazi Baba, a Pakistani national affiliated with JeM and was active for last three years in south Kashmir.
"He was operational commander of JeM and was an expert in making IEDs besides being a sharp shooter. Arms and ammunition including one AK rifle, one M-4 Carbine, a Pistol and other incriminating material was recovered from the site of encounter," he said.
The IGP said the bodies of the militants will be buried in Baramulla and Handwara after medical and legal formalities and their close relatives will be allowed to perform their last rites.
Since COVID-19 lockdown, police has been denying handing over the bodies of the killed militants to their families for burial.
While IGP has been saying that to avoid social gatherings during COVID-19 bodies are being buried in far off places, police officials maintain that this is a new strategy to avoid big funerals of militants.
Also read: In a first, owner appeals militants to surrender to save his house from damage
Sunday's encounter in the Srinagar city is the second gunfight in the last over a month.
Last month, Junaid Sehrai, son of separatist leader Ashraf Sehrai was killed with his another associate Tariq Ahmad of Pulwama town in Nawakadal in Srinagar.
The IGP said that despite that two militants are active in Srinagar, yet the militants from other districts sneak into the city.
On Kathua, where security forces recovered a drone with weapons, the IGP said that the M45 rifle and other weapons which were sneaked from across the border by Pakistan were meant for JeM militants in Kashmir.
"JeM militants, particularly their commanders are using M45 rifles which are sent from across. We have recovered many M45 rifles from JeM in the past," he said.
