3 Al-Badr ultras shot in Shopian

Srinagar, May 6

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Three Al-Badr militants were killed while one surrendered before security forces in an encounter in Shopian district of Jammu and Kashmir on Thursday, the police said.

Acting on an input about the presence of militants in Kanigam area of Shopian in south Kashmir, security forces launched a cordon and search operation during the night, a police spokesman said.

He said as the presence of militants was ascertained, they were given an opportunity to surrender. The family members of the trapped militants were also called to the encounter site to motivate and persuade them to surrender, the spokesman said. One of the trapped militants, Tausif Ahmad, laid down his arms, he said.

One surrenders

• After being told to surrender by security forces and kin, one of the terrorists agreed but others continued to open fire
• Danish Mir and Mohammad Umer Bhat of Khajapora and Zaid Bashir Reshi of Raben were killed
• IG Vijay Kumar hails security personnel for showing patience that saved life of a ‘misguided’ youth

Ahmad later appealed to his trapped companions to surrender, but they turned down the offer and fired indiscriminately at the search party, the spokesman said.

The fire was retaliated, leading to an encounter in which the three militants were killed, he added. The spokesman identified the trio as Danish Mir, Mohammad Umer Bhat, residents of Khajapora Shopian, and Zaid Bashir Reshi of Raben area in Shopian. The spokesman said incriminating material, including arms and ammunition, was recovered. — PTI