Five Lashkar militants killed in twin encounters in Shopian; Rajouri gunfight enters day 2

Srinagar: As Kashmir witnessed spurt in encounters, five local militants affiliated with Lashkar-e-Toiba (LeT) were killed in twin encounters in South Kashmir's Shopian district on Tuesday.
A senior police official said that on Monday evening on a specific information about the presence of militants a joint team of forces including Police, 34 RR and CRPF launched search operation in Tulran, Imamsahib and Feripora area of Shopian district.
He said that Tulran after the presence of militants got ascertained, they were given repeated surrender offers but hiding militants fired upon forces which retaliated leading to an encounter.
“After initial exchange of fire, operation was called due to darkness, however, cordon was intact and operation resumed on Tuesday morning after militants again rejected surrender offers,” the official said, adding that in the ensuing gunfight, three militants identified as Danish Hussian Dar, Yawar Naikoo and Mukhtar Shah were killed.
Similarly, in Feripora cordon and search operation was suspended throughout the night and contact with hiding militants was established on Tuesday morning.
“Militants were given ample time for surrender who rejected surrender offers and fired upon forces,” he added.
“In the ensuing gunfight, two local militants identified as Ubaid Ahmad Dar and Khubaib Ahmad Nengroo were killed.”
Meanwhile, police spokesman said that during the past 24 hours, based on specific inputs about the presence of militants in twin villages of Shopian viz, Tulran and Feeripora two anti-terrorist operations were carried out resulting in elimination of five militants.
The killed militants include Mukhtar Shah, who was involved in the targeted killing of non-local vendors at Lal Bazar area of Srinagar.
“During the search operation at Tulran, as the presence of militants got ascertained, they were given repeated opportunities to surrender; instead they fired indiscriminately upon the joint search party which retaliated leading to an encounter. However due to darkness the operation was suspended, while the cordon was kept intact. In the wee hours, repeated announcements were again made to the hiding militants to surrender, but the militants again fired on joint search party and the fire was retaliated,” he said.
“In the ensuing encounter, three militants were killed and their bodies were retrieved from the site of the encounter. They have been identified as Danish Hussain Dar resident of Ray Kapren Shopian, Yawar Hussain Naikoo resident of Pahlipora and Mukhtar Ahmed Shah resident of Sindbal, Ganderbal. As per police records, the killed militants were linked with outfit LeT (TRF) and remained part of groups involved in several cases including attacks on security establishments and civilian atrocities,” he said.
Meanwhile, search operation at Feeripora Shopian also remained suspended throughout the night and resumed in the wee hours.
“Contact was established with the hiding militants and they were given ample opportunities to surrender. However, they started firing indiscriminately at the search party which retaliated leading to an encounter,” the spokesman said.
“In ensuing encounter, two militants were killed and their bodies were retrieved from the site of the encounter.
They have been identified as Ubaid Ahmad Dar resident of Ray Kapren and Khubaib Ahmad Nengroo resident of Braripora. As per police records, both the killed militants were linked with proscribed terror outfit LeT and involved in several cases.”
However, a fresh contact was established with the militants at Dera Ki Gali in Rajouri district, an official said.
On Monday, five soldiers including a Junior Commissioned Officer (JCO) were killed in the operation. An official said that fresh contact was established with the militants and the firing was going on from both sides. “The operation has entered day two,” the official said