Express News Service
SRINAGAR: Three local militants of that Lashkar-e-Toiba were killed in an encounter with security forces at Kokernag in south Kashmir’s Anantnag district on Tuesday.
A police spokesman said a joint contingent of police, CRPF and army laid siege around Sheikhpora village in Vailoo area of Kokernag in Anantnag district in the early hours after receiving inputs about the presence of militants there.
“After plugging off all possible escape routes, troops zeroed-in on a residential house where the militants were hiding. They were given an opportunity to surrender. However, they turned down the offer and fired on troops,” he said.
The spokesman said after ensuring all civilians are safe, troops retaliated and all the three holed-up militants were killed in the ensuing encounter.
The deceased militants were identified as Ilyas Ahmad Dar alias Sameer R/o Kokernag, Ubaid Shafi alias Abdullah R/o Srinagar and Aqib Ahmad Lone alias Sahil R/o Kulgam.
“An AK-47 rifle, two pistols and incriminating material were recovered from the site of encounter,” the police spokesman said.
He said one of the slain militants Ubaid Shafi was part of a militant group that carried out an attack in Nowgam area of Srinagar on April 1 in which a policeman was killed.
The spokesman said the last rites of the slain militants shall be performed after conducting medico-legal formalities and their nearest family members shall be allowed to participate.
After the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic last year, police are not handing over bodies of local militants killed in gunfights with security forces and quietly buries them in graveyards in north and central Kashmir.
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