2 Al-Badr militants killed in Shopian

Srinagar, November 10

Two Al-Badr militants were killed in an encounter with security forces in Shopian district of Jammu and Kashmir on Tuesday, the police said.

Security forces launched a cordon and search operation in the Kutpora area of Shopian based on specific input regarding the presence of militants there, a police spokesman said.

During the search operation as the presence of the militants got ascertained, they were given the opportunity to surrender. However, the militants fired indiscriminately upon the search party, prompting retaliation by the security forces, he said.

In the ensuing gunbattle, two militants were killed and their bodies were retrieved from the site of the encounter, he said. The slain militants were identified as Irfan Ahmad Thoker, a resident of Kutpora, Shopian and Umer Ahmad Lone, a resident of Naidgam Lone Mohallah. Both militants were affiliated with the proscribed outfit Al-Badr, the spokesman said.

As per the police records, he said, both were involved in many terror crime cases, including looting of cash to the tune of Rs 60 lakh from a van of J&K Bank at the Shopian main branch on November 5. Incriminating materials, including arms and ammunition, were recovered from the site of the encounter and all recovered material was taken into case records for further investigation and to probe their complicity in other terror crimes, the spokesman added. — PTI

Army pays tribute to soldiers

Srinagar: The Army on Tuesday paid floral tribute to three soldiers, including a Captain, who were killed as troops foiled an infiltration attempt by militants along the Line of Control (LoC) in the Keran sector of Jammu and Kashmir. A BSF man and three militants were also killed in the gunbattle on Sunday. PTI