The two encounters in Kashmir Valley ended on a bloody note resulting in the killing of 8 militants on Friday. Two gunfights had raged in Meej Pampora area of Pulwama district Bandpawa village of South Kashmir’s Shopina district yesterday. A militant was killed yesterday in Pampora while another militant was killed in Shopian. Today both these encounters ended resulting in the killing of 8 militants, 5 in Shopian and 3 in Pampore. Out of 3 slain militants who had taken shelter in a mosque in Pampore, died of breathlessness after government forces fired tear-smoke shells beneath the ‘hamam’ where they had taken shelter, sources told news agency KNT.Vijay Kumar, IGP Kashmir Zone said, "Patience and professionalism worked. No use of firing or IED. Used tear smoke shells only. Maintained the sanctity of the mosque. Both militants hiding inside the mosque have been neutralized." The slain militants belonged to Jaish-e-Muhammad and Laskar-e-Taiba groups. The three militants killed in Pampore encounter have been identified as Arshid Ahmed Dar of Marvel Kakapora, Shahnazwaz Ahmed Ganai of Muran and Faisal Ahmed of Rajpora. The identities of the militants killed in Shopian encounter are being ascertained, said a police official. The data available with KNT reveals that in the ongoing current year, 109 militants have been killed in different encounters. Army and police addressed a joint presser hailing the role of forces for killing over 100 militants in the ongoing year.
General Officer Commanding 15 Corps BS Raju said that no damage was caused to Pampore mosque while soldiers did a wonderful job. He thanked people of Kashmir for maintaining peace and said all efforts are on to bring normalcy in Valley.BS Raju said that 102 militants have been killed so for this year while there had been only two civilian fatalities. “We don’t want to kill these boys and want they all surrender. In recent past we have prevented youth from joining militancy and there is virtually no recruitment these days,” he said adding those who return will be rehabilitated. While responding to a question on Line of Control, BS Raju said that there is a pattern in recent ‘ceasefire’ violations that are taking place. “Some of it is high. But so far we don’t see any connection with what is happening in Ladakh. But the Forces are prepared to meet with any challenge.” “The situation on LoC and hinterland is under control,” he said.Police Chief, DIlbagh Singh said that they have carried out many operations and most of them have been clean and without any damage. “I appreciate the efforts of our boys on ground. I would again say that neutralizing a militant doesn’t bring happiness to us, but since they have chosen a path and we are left with no option. We have to take required action which we are taking and we will continue with that,” Singh said. IG CRPF, Rajesh Kumar said that this year all the operations that have taken place had good coordination among all security forces working on the ground. “There has been minimum collateral damage,” he added. In response to a question, IG Kashmir, Vijay Kumar said that there is a serious threat of car IED blast. “One IED expert of Jesh-e-Muhammed has been killed but two are still there and we are after them,” he said. (KNT)