Two Al-Badr militants killed in encounter with security forces in J-K's Shopian

SRINAGAR: Two Al-Badr militants were killed in an encounter with security forces in Shopian district of Jammu and Kashmir on Tuesday, police said.

Security forces launched a cordon and search operation in Kutpora area of Shopian in south Kashmir based on specific input regarding the presence of militants there, a police spokesman said.

During the search operation as the presence of the militants got ascertained, they were given the opportunity to surrender.

However, the militants fired indiscriminately upon the search party, prompting retaliation by the security forces, he said.

In the ensuing gunbattle, two militants were killed and their bodies were retrieved from the site of the encounter, he said.

The slain militants were identified as Irfan Ahmad Thoker, resident of Kutpora, Shopian and Umer Ahmad Lone, resident of Naidgam Lone Mohallah.

Both the militants were affiliated with proscribed outfit Al-Badr, the spokesman said.

As per police records, he said, both were involved in many terror crime cases, including looting of cash to the tune of Rs 60 lakh from a van of J&K Bank at main branch Shopian on November 5.

Incriminating materials, including arms and ammunition, were recovered from the site of the encounter and all the recovered material was taken into case records for further investigation and to probe their complicity in other terror crimes, the spokesman added.