Three militants were killed in a gun fight in Yawran forest of South Kashmir’s Shopian district.A police spokesperson said that after receiving inputs about the presence of militants in Yawran Kellar area of Shopian district, a siege was laid and search operation launched. As the searches were going on, the search party was fired upon by the militants. The fire was retaliated by Forces leading to a gunfight.In the ensuing gunfight three militants were killed. Police spokesperson said that all the three bodies of militants were retrieved from the site of encounter. “Police has registered a case and initiated investigation in the matter. Incriminating materials including 3 AK 47 rifles were recovered from the site of encounter,” said the official.He identified the slain militants as Sajad Khanday, Aqib Ahmad Dar and Basharat Ahmad Mir, all residents of Pulwama.“According to the police records, it was a combined group of militant outfits HM and LeT. They were wanted by law for their complicity in a series of attacks on security establishments.”“As per police records, Aqib had a long history of militant records and several cases were registered against him. He was involved in conspiring and executing many militant attacks in the area,” he said.“Similarly, Sajad and Basharat were involved in many attacks and several cases were also registered against them,” he added.
Following the killing of these three local militants, intense clashes erupted between local youth and the government forces at Muran Chowk in Pulwama.As per reports, as soon as the news of killing of three militants spread in Pulwama district, locals came on roads and started throwing stones on the government forces who retaliated with tear smoke shells and pellets to disperse youth amid spontaneous shutdown. A complete shutdown was observed in Shopian as well as Pulwama districts against these killings. Mobile Internet services had been suspended in both the districts.Meanwhile, a militant was killed in a gunfight in Yaroo area of Langate in Handwara. A police official said that after receiving inputs about the presence of militants in the area, a search operation was launched. The militants fired upon the search party leading to an encounter that resulted in the killing of a militant. He identified the slain militant as Danish Ahmed Dar, a resident of Sopore. (CNS)