J&K: 2 jawans,1 terrorist killed during gunfight in Shopian

Srinagar, Feb 19: A terrorist was on Saturday gunned down in an encounter with security forces in Shopian district of Jammu and Kashmir. Two army jawans have also lost their life during the gunfight.

Acting on a specific input about the presence of militants at Chermarg in Zainapora area of Shopian, security forces launched a cordon and search operation there, a police official told PTI.

He said as the forces were conducting searches in the area, the hiding militants fired upon them.

The forces retaliated, ensuing an encounter, in which a militant was killed, the official said.

The identity and group affiliation of the slain ultra is being ascertained, he said.

In a similar operation last month, two terrorists belonging to the Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) outfit were killed in an encounter with security forces in Shopian district of Jammu and Kashmir.

Based on a specific input regarding the presence of terrorists in village Kilbal area of Shopian in south Kashmir, a cordon-and-search operation was launched.

In the ensuing encounter, two terrorists of the proscribed terror outfit LeT (TRF) were killed and their bodies were retrieved from the site of the encounter, the spokesman said.

The Resistance Front (TRF) is a shadow group of the Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT).

He identified them as Sameer Ahmad Shah, a resident of Dhangam in Shopian, and Rayees Ahmad Mir of Pulwama.

"As per police records, both the killed terrorists were part of group involved in several terror crime cases, including attacks on security forces and civilian atrocities," he said.

Incriminating materials, arms and ammunition were recovered from the site of the encounter. All the recovered materials have been taken into case records for further investigation, the spokesman added.