Srinagar, Feb 10: Five militants were killed in a gunfight with security forces at Keelam area of Kulgam district on Sunday.
The police spokesman said that based on a credible input about the presence of militants in Kellam area of Devsar in District Kulgam, a cordon and search operation was launched today in the wee hours jointly by Police and security forces in the area.
“As the searches were going on, the search party was fired upon by the militants. The fire was retaliated leading to a gunfight.In the ensuing encounter, five militants were killed and the bodies were retrieved from the site of encounter,” police said in a statement.
The slain militants were identified as Waseem Ahmad Rather son of Bashir Ahmad Rather resident of Ashmuji Kulgam, Aqib Nazir Mir son of Nazir Ahmad resident of Zangulpora Devsar, Parvaiz Ahmad Bhat son of Bashir Ahmad resident of Mukdam Mohalla Qaimoh, Idrees Ahmad Bhat son of Ramzan Bhat resident of Arwani and Zahid Ahmad Parray son of Abdul Hamid resident of Gopalpora D.H Pora.
According to the police, the militants were joint group of HM and LeT and their exact affiliations are being ascertained. “They were wanted by the law for their complicity in a series of crimes including attack on security establishments,” police said.
“Incriminating material such as arms and ammunition was recovered from the site of encounter. All these materials have been taken in the case records for the purpose of investigation.Pertinently no collateral damage took place during the encounter. Bodies of the killed militants were handed over to their families after completion of medico-legal formalities,” police said.
Following the killing militants during an encounter, several youth took to the streets. Forces retaliated by firing metal pellets resulting in injuries to several protestors. Dozens of persons were injured during the clashes with ten among them hit by pellets in their various body parts.
