Three local militants were killed in an overnight encounter in Tral area of South Kashmir's Pulwama district during the wee hours on Thursday.Indian troopers launched a cordon and search operation in Mirmohalla Dadsara area of Tral at around 5 on Wednesday evening. The troopers had received information about the presence of group of Hizb militants in the area. Eyewitnesses told CNS that as soon the Army personnel from 42 RR cordoned off the area, large number of people assembled at one place in the area and chanted pro-freedom slogans. Witnesses said that Forces zeroed in on the house of one Ghulam Nabi Mir and called him out from the house who confirmed about the presence of three militants in his one storey house. Shortly after receiving confirmation from the house owner, Forces sought assistance and reinforcement (3RR, 180,185 CRPF Battalions) arrived on the spot without any delay.Witnesses told CNS that locals resorted to stone-pelting before the commencement of encounter at around 6:30, however police used tear-smoke shells to disperse them. “Forces used generators to lit the area around the house in which militants were trapped.
Army continued to target the house with bullets, however, militants did not respond for half an hour. After continuous firing from Forces, the militants retaliated resulting in exchange of heavy firing.”Witnesses said that at around 9 in the evening, an explosion rocked the area. “Forces used IED to raise the house to ground. It caught fire forcing two militants to come out from the house who were later neutralized. The third militant died inside the house. The half burnt bodies of the three militants were retrieved from the house at around 3 on Thursday morning and were taken to police station Awantipora. At around 5 the bodies were handed over the families.”Police identified the three slain militants as Asif Ahmed Mir (24) son of late Muhammad Yousuf Mir a resident of Dadsara Tral, Ashiq Ahmed Bhat (20) son of Muhammad Shaban Bhat of Chersoo Awantipora and Muhammad Ishaq Parrey (19) son of Muhammad Ismail Parrey a resident of Laribal Tral.
Thousands of mourners participated in the last rites of these three slain militants who were laid to rest at their ancestral grave yards. The funeral prayers for Asif Mir was offered by Tehreek-e-Hurriyat leader Bashir Ahmed Qureshi while it was TeH District president Ghulam Mohiuddin Andrabi who led funeral prayers of Ashiq Ahmed Bhat. Jamat-e-Islami spokesperson Advocate Zahid Ali led funeral prayers of Muhammad Ishaq Parrey alias Newton at Laribal where protesters resorted to heavy stone-pelting. Protesters also tried to block Srinagar-Jammu highway near Charsoo, however, police swung into action and dispersed them.Meanwhile, the twin tehsils of Pulwama district Tral and Awantipora observed a complet shutdown to mourn the death of these militants while large number of people from different hamlets of the district visited Dadsara, Charsoo and Laribal to expressed sympathy with the bereaved families. (CNS)