Two militants were killed in an encounter in Lal Chowk area of south Kashmir’s Anantnag district on Wednesday.Reports reaching GNS said that the encounter started after a joint team of army, SOG and CRPF laid a siege at Mehmaan Mohalla in Lal Chowk. The cordon-and-search-operation (CASO) was launched in the area during midnight.A police spokesperson in a statement issued to GNS said that a joint patrol of forces in early hours of Wednesday morning launched searches at Lal Chowk area in Anantnag after it received credible leads about the presence of militants inside a house.“As the security forces advanced towards the suspect house, the militants hiding inside fired on them, which was retaliated resulting in an encounter in which two militants were killed. No collateral damage occurred during the encounter,” he said.On the basis of the “incriminating materials” seized, it is established that they belonged to Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) outfit, the spokesperson said adding one of the slain militant was identified as Bilal Ahmad Dar alias Bin Yamin Dar son of Mohammad Yousuf Dar of Sofi Mohalla Khudwani Kulgam. The identity of the other militant is yet to be ascertained.
“Some arms and ammunition were recovered from the site of the encounter,” he said adding that as per police records, Bilal alias Bin Yamin Dar was involved in a series of militant acts.However, according to sources, another slain militant has been identified as Abid Hussain Bhat son of Wali Mohammad Bhat of Sazan, Bagwah, Doda in Jammu region.Abid, a 12th class pass student had joined the outfit on July 1 this month, sources said.Police have registered a case and investigation has been initiated into the matter, the spokesperson added.Meanwhile, an official told GNS that after conducting all medico-legal formalities, the bodies of the slain militants were handed over to legal heirs for last rites.While Bilal has been laid to rest with thousands of people participating in his funeral at his native village Khudwani, the body of Abid was handed over to his family members and is being taken to Sazan area in Doda.An eyewitness said that thousands of people from adjacent areas reached Khudwani where Dar was laid to rest.While people were shouting pro-freedom slogans amid protests, few militants appeared at the funeral and offered a gun salute to their slain associate.Soon after the gunfight, authorities snapped internet services in Anantnag district and its adjoining parts. The train services were also suspended to and fro Srinagar to Banihal as a precautionary measure. (GNS)