The past 24 hours in Kashmir have been bloody as one militant associate and three militants were killed in two separate encounters while as an army officer sustained injuries. Seven people including six children also sustained injuries when an unexploded material went off at an encounter site.Late on Sunday evening, police claimed to have killed two militants first in an encounter at South Kashmir’s Kulgam district and after some time, two more were killed. This was confirmed by the police on its twitter handle—Kashmir Zone police. However, today morning, police said it have recovered only one body. “Only 01 dead body recovered so far from the site of #encounter. Search is going on. Further details shall follow.” However, a detailed statement by police issued to news agency—Kashmir News Observer (KNO), today read:“In view of inputs regarding militants planning to abduct and murder police personnel, exhaustive domination was being carried out by joint forces of Kulgam Police, RR and CRPF from the last few days. On Sunday, 26 April 2020, one of such patrolling party of joint forces was attacked by militants numbering 4 to 6 in between villages Chehlan and Asthal.”The statement said that in the exchange of firing that ensued, one army officer received fire arm injuries. “The attack was followed by exchange of firing between forces and militants in which forces confirmed having hit 2 to 4 militants. The exchange of firing stopped around 10 pm. Due to expansive area of search, undulating terrain and total darkness, it was decided to carry out search of the area after first light.
When search started in the morning, body of an unknown militant associate along with a pistol and a grenade was recovered. Besides six SIM cards were also recovered from his pocket. While a trail of blood was found leading out of the search area which proved that apart from the militant associate killed, one or more militants were injured. The search for injured militants continues.”The police said that FIR under relevant sections has been registered in PS Kulgam. An army officer of a major’s rank sustained bullet injury in his leg in the exchange of fire after which he was removed to the military hospital where his condition is stated as stable.With the first light of the day today, another encounter broke at Lower Munda area of Qazigund in Kulgam district, yet again in South Kashmir, where police claimed to have killed three militants. The house, as per locals of Lower Munda, where militants were hiding, was razed to ground by the security forces.Tragedy, however, struck Lower Munda again as when an unexploded material went up injuring seven people including six children, who had assembled at the encounter site. One of the injured boy was shifted to Srinagar for treatment, where his condition is stated as stable—(KNO)