Two alleged militants were killed and a soldier injured during an encounter in central Kashmir’s Budgam on Thursday.
A joint Army-police team surrounded the two militants in Zagoo village in Budgam’s Khan Sahib area early in the morning.
“The operation was launched on specific inputs. The militants opened fire on the security forces. In the ensuing encounter, two militants were killed,” said the police.
The deceased were identified as Mukhtar Ahmad Khan from Budgam’s Brass Arizal and Mohammad Amin Mir from Pampore’s Drangbal. Arms and ammunition were also seized from the encounter site.
“The militants were involved in a series of attacks on security establishments in the area,” the police said. The soldier, who sustained injuries in the encounter, is stated to be stable.
Clashes follow
Two civilians were injured in clashes with police as youth resorted to stone-pelting in Budgam and Pampore after the incident.
Security forces used smoke shells and pellet shotguns to chase away the protesters.
A stone also hit a woman during the clashes.
The incessant protests resulted in the closure of the Jammu-Srinagar national highway near Pampore for a few hours.