On the third consecutive day, the encounter in north Kashmir’s Sopore area was called off this evening and six suspected militants were confirmed by police to have been killed while two army personnel, including a major who is injured.
After it was claimed by police that five LeT militants were killed in gun battle on Tuesday, the firing between security forces and militants started in the morning today and continued till afternoon. Two residential houses were also razed to ground in the encounter from where six bodies of militants were recovered. The search operation is going on.
Superintendent Police Sopore, Imtiaz Hussain told media that six bodies of militants have been recovered from the encounter site adding that one of the militant has been identified as Athar Yousuf Dar of Bismilllah Colony Sopore. The dead militants are all members of to LeT outfit. However the identities of the other five militants were not disclosed.
“Seven AK 47 raffles and other arms and ammunition have been recovered from the spot also,” he added.
Meanwhile the Inspector General of CRPF S.S Sandhu said the operation is a major success for the security forces adding that killing of six LeT militants is a big break through and a blow to the militancy in north Kashmir.
IGP added though the operation was joint by police, army and CRPF. However, the police earlier also said these militants are actually from same group who among four militants were killed this week at two different encounter sites. Police added that the group had reached Sopore through Kupwara.
Meanwhile, Chief Minister Omar Abdullah said the elimination of a group of militants in Sopore encounter is a major success for the security forces and for the intelligence agencies as well. However he said he cannot share the number of militants present in the valley as there are contradicting figures with army and police. Omar added that there is no doubt that insurgency in valley has declined annually and his stand for the revocation of armed forces special power act (AFSPA) will remain intact.
Meanwhile. the Sopore town is also witnessing a shutdown since Tuesday after locals claim that among the dead militants is a local student, who had joined the Lashkar-e-Taiba earlier this year.