Shopian: A Lashkar e Toiba militant was killed during a pre-dawn gunfight which broke out between militants and security forces in Chotigam area of South Kashmir's Shopian district on Friday, a police spokesman said. A police spokesman said, “Acting on specific information regarding presence of terrorist in village Chotigam area of Shopian, a joint cordon and search operation was launched in the wee hours by Police, Army (34RR) and CRPF (178Bn) in the said area".
“During the search operation, as the joint party approached towards the suspected spot, the hiding terrorist fired indiscriminately upon the joint search party, which was retaliated effectively, leading to an encounter. In the ensuing encounter, 01 terrorist was killed and his body was retrieved from the site of encounter. He has been identified as Bilal Ahmed Bhat son of Ghulam Rasool Bhat resident of Chek Cholan, affiliated with proscribed terror outfit LeT,” he said.
He said that as per police records the slain militant was involved in “several terror crime cases including killing of local army personnel namely Umer Fayaz son of Fayaz Ahmad Parray resident of Sudsan Kulgam, hurled grenade upon non-local labours in Hermain, resulting in on spot death of two labourers”. “He was also involved in killing of Kashmiri pandith namely Sunil Kumar Bhat son of Sri G Bhat and injuring other Kashmiri Pandit Pretimber Nath son of Arjun Nath Bhat, both residents of Chotigam Shopian. He was also involved in attack on local Bal Krishan alias Sonu resident of Chotigam. Moreover, he was involved in instigating local youth to join terrorist ranks and induced 12 local youth into the ranks of terrorists. Besides other terror crimes, he was also involved in killing of arrested terrorist who was leading the search party during a CASO at Nowgam in the year 2022,” police said.
It said that “incriminating materials”, arms and ammunition including 01 AK series rifle, 03 magazines 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 terror crimes,” added police. Police have registered a case under relevant sections of law and investigation has been initiated.
Security forces embarked on the cordon and operation after receiving specific inputs about the presence of militants there, an official said. The retaliation of the forces led to the encounter, the official added. As the joint team of forces encircled the suspected spot, the hiding militants fired upon the forces, triggering off a gunfight, he said.
Meanwhile, the Kashmir Zone Police confirmed the development and wrote on social media platform X, "Encounter has started at Chotigam area of Shopian district. Shopian Police, Army & CRPF are on the job. Further details shall follow." While police was yet to update on the encounter, local inputs said that an unidentified militant has been killed in the gunfight while searches at the site of the encounter are on.
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#Encounter has started at Chotigam area of #Shopian district. Shopian Police, Army & CRPF are on the job. Further details shall follow.@JmuKmrPolice
— Kashmir Zone Police (@KashmirPolice) January 4, 2024 " class="align-text-top noRightClick twitterSection" data="
">#Encounter has started at Chotigam area of #Shopian district. Shopian Police, Army & CRPF are on the job. Further details shall follow.@JmuKmrPolice
— Kashmir Zone Police (@KashmirPolice) January 4, 2024#Encounter has started at Chotigam area of #Shopian district. Shopian Police, Army & CRPF are on the job. Further details shall follow.@JmuKmrPolice
— Kashmir Zone Police (@KashmirPolice) January 4, 2024
The Shopian encounter comes two days after another encounter took place at Hadigam area of neighbouring Kulgam district in south Kashmir. The encounter ended shortly after the hiding militants escaped the spot. According to local inputs, the hiding militants in the Kulgam encounter took advantage of the darkness and managed to give slip to the security forces.
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