3 JeM terrorists shot in Srinagar

Tribune News Service

New Delhi, December 31

Security forces today killed three militants of Jaish-e-Mohammad (JeM) in an encounter at Pantha Chowk on the outskirts of Srinagar, the police said. Among them was a local militant, who was allegedly part of the attack on the police bus at Zewan. Besides, five security personnel sustained injuries during the operation. The gunfight erupted just hours after six JeM militants and a soldier were killed in two separate encounters in south Kashmir.

The police said the gunfight erupted following a cordon-and-search operation after security men received information about the presence of terrorists in the area. “As the cordon was being laid, terrorists opened indiscriminate fire, wounding three cops and two CRPF personnel,” a senior police officer said, adding the injured were shifted to Army’s 92 Base Hospital.

The Kashmir zone police tweeted that one of the slain militants had been identified as Suhail Ahmad Rather, involved in the Zewan attack. “All terrorists involved in Zewan attack have been neutralised,” the tweet read quoting IGP Vijay Kumar.

On Thursday, the IGP had said the three Jaish militants, including a Pakistani, killed in Anantnag were part of the group involved in the Zewan attack earlier this month that left three cops and nearly dozen others wounded.