Former cop among two Lashkar terrorists killed in J&K encounter

SRINAGAR: Two Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) terrorists were killed in a pre-dawn encounter in Hend Sitapora area of south Kashmir’s Shopian district on Sunday. One of the terrorists was identified as a former cop while the other had taken up arms recently, police said.
Seven “terrorist sympathisers” were — three of whom sustained pellet injuries — after clashing with the security forces following the encounter.
Based on intelligence inputs, a joint team including personnel from Army’s 34RR and J&K Police’s Special Operations Group launched a cordon-and-search operation in the region when holed-up terrorists opened fire at the search party. In the ensuing gunfight, two terrorists were killed.
Police identified the duo as Tariq Ahmad Bhat from Shopian’s Khasipora area and Basharat Ahmad Shah from Pulwama’s Nikloora area. A former police constable, Tariq was posted at Pakherpora in Budgam when he went missing along with an AK-47 rifle on April 25, 2018. He later joined LeT.
The two were wanted in several terror attacks across Kashmir Valley, cops said. Security forces recovered a huge cache of arms and ammunition along with the terrorists’ bodies from the encounter spot.
Thousands of people attended the funeral prayers of the slain terrorists at their native villages. Meanwhile, sympathisers took to the streets and pelted stones at the security forces near the encounter site and other surrounding areas. Forces used tear gas shells and pellets to disperse the mob, in which 7 people were injured, including three with pellet wounds.
The injured were rushed to a Shopian hospital from where the three with pellet wounds were referred to Srinagar’s SMHS for treatment. The trio is in a stable condition, said a doctor there.
In view of the security situation after the encounter, district authorities have snapped internet services in Shopian and Kulgam districts.