This year’s first encounter between militants and government forces killed 3 militants in Gulshanpora Village of Tral in South Kashmir's Pulwama district on Thursday.Three Hizbul Mujahideen and Jaish e Mohammad militants killed in an encounter with security forces in Gulshanpora Village of Tral in South Kashmir's Pulwama district on Thursday.A joint team of Army’s 42RR, CRPF and SOG cordoned off Gulshanpora area after having credible input about presence of some militants in the area.While hiding militants fired upon government forces triggering an encounter, police official told Valley Media Service.Three Hizbul Mujahideen and Jaish e Mohammad militants have been killed and Identified as Zubair Ahmad Bhat @Abu Huraira son of Bashir Ahmad Bhat resident of Chursoo Awantipora, Shakoor Ahmad Parray @Jaffar son of Ghulam Nabi Parray resident of Laribal Tral and Tawseef Ahmad Thoker @Abu Talha son of Ghulam Mohi-ud-deen Thoker resident of Chursoo Bunpora Awantipora, police told VMS.Tawseef who was an M Sc in Mathematics has joined Militant outfit Hizb ul Mujahideen on 14 May 2018, sources said.Five Army man of 42RR also sustained injuries. One of the critically wounded was shifted to army’s 92 Base hospital in Srinagar for advanced treatment, Srinagar based defence spokesman Rajesh Kalia told Valley Media Service.
All the three killed militants were wanted by law for their complicity in a series of militancy activities including attacks on security establishments and civilian atrocities. It was a combined group of JeM and HM and as per police records Zubair was affiliated with outfit JeM while Shakoor and Tawseef were affiliated with outfit HM, police spokesman said VMS.Police has registered a case and initiated investigation in the matter. Incriminating materials including arms and ammunition were recovered from the site of encounter, he added.Meanwhile, youth took to streets and staged protests as soon as the news of gunfight spread in the town.At least ten civilians were injured in clashes with the government forces.Eye witness said that clashes erupted after the youth came out of their homes and hurled stones on the forces’ vehicles heading towards the gunfight site in Gulshanpora.A complete shutdown is being observed in the area.Internet service was suspended in the area soon after the gunfight broke out in Gulshanpora for Precautionary measures. (VMS)