Four militants and a Para commando were killed in an encounter that raged between forces and militants in South Kashmir's Shopian district. Police said that a joint cordon was launched by the police and security forces on a credible input about the presence of militants in Nadigam area of district Shopian in the predawn hours today.“As the search operation was going on, the search party was confronted with bullets fired by the hiding militants. The fire was retaliated leading to an encounter. In the initial exchange of fire one army soldier identified as HC Vijay of 23 Para sustained injuries and was evacuated to the hospital for medical treatment where he succumbed,” police said in a statement issued to KNO. In the ensuing encounter, four militants were killed and the bodies were retrieved from the site of encounter. Police identified the slain militants as Abid Nazir Chopan of Padarpora, Basharat Nengroo of Chotigam Shopian, Mehraj-ud-Din Najar of Drawni and Malik Zada Inam-ul-Haq of Mantujan Shopian, saying that they were affiliated with HM and were “involved in attacks on security establishments and many other civilian atrocities in the area.”“Incriminating materials including huge quantity of arms and ammunition were recovered from the site of encounter.
Police has registered a case and initiated investigation in the matter,” police said. Police later urged citizens not to venture inside the encounter zone since such an area can prove dangerous due to stray explosive materials. “People are requested to cooperate with police till the area is completely sanitized and cleared of all the explosives materials if any,” police said. Meanwhile Thousands of people here on today Participated in the last rites of deceased militants. During the funeral prayers of slain militants emotional scenes of women folk were also seen who were wailing in the crowd, beating their chests to mourn their death. Witnesses said that Multiple rounds of funeral prayers were held due to the huge rush of people, who were came from nook and corner of Shopian. Later on, militants are being laid to rest amid massive pro-freedom and anti-Indian slogans at their ancestral graveyard. A Top police official told KNO that Abid joined militant ranks on April 17, Anam joined on May 23, Basharat joined on August 1 while as Mehraj had joined on May 20 last year. Mehraj was category B militant while All other were category C militants.Meanwhile eye witness told to KNO that many civilians were injured including a woman near encounter site in Nadigam village of south Kashmir’s Shopian district.(KNO)