3 ultras who killed J&K cop shot in Valley

Our Correspondent

Anantnag, July 22

Security forces on Sunday killed three militants involved in Saturday’s killing of trainee constable Muhammad Saleem Shah after he was abducted from his home in Kulgam district.

The militants were killed in an encounter with security forces in Khodweni area of Kulgam district, 70 km south of Srinagar city.

One of the slain militants was a Pakistan national, Abu Maviya, while two others were locals — Mudassir Ahmad Dar of Shalipora and Suhail Ahmad Dar of Redwni in Kulgam district.

“They were directly involved in the abduction and killing of a trainee constable on Saturday,” a senior police official said, adding that the three militants were killed a few kilometres from where they had shot dead the constable. The encounter started around 5.30 am when militants opened fire on a joint team of security forces from a house.

“A manhunt had been launched following the killing of the constable. As security forces were advancing towards the house, holed-up militants opened indiscriminate fire in a bid to escape,” the police official said. The fire was retaliated, triggering an encounter that lasted three hours.“We are looking for other accomplices involved in Shah’s murder,” he said.

Arms were recovered and bodies were handed over to the families after medico-legal formalities. “As per police records, the terrorists were affiliated with proscribed terror outfits LeT and HM,” a police spokesman said. Meanwhile, clashes erupted near the encounter site, prompting security forces to use tear smoke shells. No one was injured.