Three local militants, affiliated with Lashkar-e-Taiba outfit, were killed and one police officer was martyred on Thursday, 18 February night, in two separate encounters in Budgam and Shopian, said Jammu and Kashmir officials on Friday, 19 February.
In what seems to be back-to-back operations launched on Thursday night, jointly carried out by the Army, police and the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF), three militants were staked out and killed in Badigam area of Shopian.
So far, two AK 47 Rifles and a pistol have been recovered from the militants at the encounter site, reported ANI.
Speaking on the Shopian encounter, IGP Kashmir, Vijay Kumar said to ANI, “We’d received information on Thursday night that a foreign terrorist, Yusuf - LeT Commander and another militants are holed up in a house. We launched cordon with the Army’s help. CRPF reached too. On Friday morning we came to know that they escaped but are injured. We brought in a dog squad, their (terrorists’) blood trail led us to a village 2 km away. We have cordoned it, a search is underway.”
In a separate encounter between security forces and militants in Beerwah area of Budgam district, a Special Police Officer (SPO) was martyred and another officer was injured, who has now been shifted to a hospital, officials said, according to the report.
"We have lost one SPO and another policeman was injured. There are reports that the holed-up Lashkar commander may have escaped. But operation is on to track him down," a senior police officer said to India Today.
The police acted on the behest of special information about the presence of a Lashkar-e-Taiba commander. Upon launching the operation, the officers had to face heavy gunfiring, added the report.
Terror Attack in Srinagar
Meanwhile, on the same day, militants fired at a police party in the Baghat Chowk area of Srinagar city, according to IANS.
Two officers were killed in the attack by militants in the Baghat Barzulla area, reported PTI.
The militant attack comes a day after the 24-member diplomatic delegation concluded its two-day visit to the Union territory.
Security officers have launched a search operation at the encounter site.
(With inputs from ANI, PTI, IANS and India Today.)
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