Two Al-Badr militants killed in Shopian gunfight

Srinagar, Nov 18: Two Al Badr militants were killed in a gunfight with the government forces in a village in south Kashmir’s Shopian district on Sunday morning, police said.
“Based on a credible input about the presence of militants, a cordon and search operation was launched by the state police and forces at the strike of dawn today in Rebban area of Zainapora,” said a police spokesman.
As the search operation was going on, the search party was fired upon by the hiding militants, he said.
“The fire was retaliated leading to an encounter.
In the ensuing encounter, two militants were killed and the bodies were retrieved from the site of encounter,” said the spokesman, adding that “incriminating materials including arms and ammunition were recovered from the site of encounter.”
He appealed to the people not to go to the encounter site as “it can prove dangerous due to stray explosive materials.”
Local sources said that the Internet service was suspended in the area during the night. However, the service was restored Sunday morning.
They identified the slain militants as Yawar Wani of Batnoor Pulwama and Nawaz Ahmad of Rebban Shopian — both affiliated with Al Badr militant outfit.
Later, multiple rounds of funeral prayers were held for the slain militants in their respective native places.
Reports said that thousands of people from various areas of the south Kashmir attended the funeral prayers of two militants.
Reports said that thousand people poured onto streets as the bodies of the duo were lifted, the scenes were poignant amid the chanting of pro-freedom slogans, hailing the “martyrs.”
An eyewitness said that scores of men and women wept bitterly as the bodies were being carried towards its final resting place.
A complete shutdown is being observed in Shopian and its adjoining district Pulwama to mourn the killings.
Reports said that all the shops and other business establishments in both the districts are closed and public traffic is off the roads.