Two militants killed in Pulwama encounter

Pulwama, Nov 10: The killing of militants in Kashmir Valley is on rise as two more young militants were Saturday killed by government forces in Tikken area of South Kashmir’s Pulwama district.
On Friday, a militant was killed while property worth lakhs were damaged in an encounter in Tral. Saturday morning as well two militants were killed in a brief encounter after a joint team of army’s 55RR, 180/183 BN CRPF and SOG cordoned off Tikken area after getting specific information about their presence.
A police spokesman said that forces in the wee hours Saturday launched a cordon and search operation in Tikken area of District Pulwama based on credible inputs about the presence of militants in the area.
As the search operation was going on, militants fired on the search party. 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. The slain militants were identified as Liyaqat Munir Wani of Below Pulwama and Wajid-ul-Islam of Bhabhar Pulwama. Both the militants according to police were involved in different militancy related cases.
“Arms and ammunition including AK and INSAS rifle and other incriminating materials were recovered from the site of encounter. Pertinently the INSAS rifle seized from the encounter site was the same rifle which militants had snatched earlier from Murran, Pulwama,” a police spokesperson said.
“Citizens are once again requested not to venture inside the encounter zone since such an area can prove dangerous due to stray explosive materials. People are requested to cooperate with police till the area is completely sanitized and cleared of all the explosives materials if any,” the spokesperson said.
After the gunfight, mobile internet service was suspended in Pulwama district amid complete shutdown.
An official said that telecom operators were asked to suspend mobile internet services “as a precautionary measure”.
Massive clashes erupted in main town Pulwama after killing of two militants.
Reports said that as soon as the news of the killing of two militants spread in the area people hit the streets in the main town.
The protesters pelted the forces with stones which responded by firing tear gas shells, they said.
Meanwhile, a complete shutdown was observed in Tral town against the killing of a non-local Jaish militant Anwar Abbasi. All the shops and business establishments remained shut while transport also remained off the roads. Jaish militant was killed in a gunfight on Friday.