Srinagar: J&K Police has identified two of three militants killed in the encounter that took place in Zoonimar area of Srinagar on Sunday.
They are Shakoor Farooq Langoo of Bharthana Srinagar and Shahid Ahmad Bhat of Semthan Bijbehara. The identification of the third militants is yet to be ascertained.
“All the slain militants were affiliated with Hizb and Islamic State J&K outfits,” a police spokesperson said.
He added that the militant killed in the encounter that happened in Kulgam on Saturday was a Pakistani national.
Giving inputs about the Sunday encounter, he said after a specific input generated by police regarding presence of militants in Zadibal area of district Srinagar, a joint cordon and search operation was launched by Police and CRPF in the said area.
“During the search operation, 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.
In the ensuing encounter, three militants were killed and their bodies were retrieved from the site of encounter.
“As per police records, one of the killed militants Shakoor Farooq Lango was involved in the killing of two BSF personnel at 90ft road Soura on May 20,” he said.
The AK rifle snatched from the BSF personnel was also recovered from the site of encounter, he added.
“Yet again Police and security forces showed patience and exercised utmost restraint, thereby ensured a clean operation with no collateral damage in an otherwise highly congested and densely populated area of city Srinagar,” the spokesperson added.
Regarding the said encounters, cases under relevant sections of laws stands registered in concerned police stations and investigation has been initiated, he said.
“Keeping in view the prevailing pandemic due to COVID-19 and to ensure the safety of people from inherent risk of contracting the infection, the dead bodies of the killed militants have been sent to Handwara and Baramulla for their burial and last rites after completion of medico-legal formalities,” the spokesperson said.
“The nearest family members of the killed militants shall also participate in their last rites at Handwara and Baramulla,” he added
“People are requested to be away from the encounter sites till the areas are sanitised and cleared from explosive materials, if any,” police said.
