4 local terrorists killed in two encounters in J-K's Shopian

SHOPIAN: As many as four local terrorists were killed in two separate encounters that broke out in Jammu and Kashmir's Shopian, said the police on Wednesday morning.

In the first encounter that broke out last evening in the Drach area of Shopian, three local terrorists linked with the proscribed terror outfit Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM) were killed, while in the second encounter between the security forces and the terrorists in the Moolu area of Shopian early morning today, one local terrorist with proscribed terror outfit Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) was neutralised.

"01 local #terrorist of proscribed terror outfit LeT killed in Moolu #encounter. #Operation going on. Further details shall follow," tweeted Kashmir Zone Police.

"Second #encounter has started in Moolu area of #Shopian. Police and security forces are on the job. Further details shall follow," the police had tweeted early this morning.

Two killed terrorists in the Drach encounter were identified as Hanan Bin Yaqoob and Jamshed, who, according to the police were involved in the recent killing of special police officer Javed Dar in Pulwama.

"Killed #terrorists Hanan Bin Yaqoob & Jamshed were involved in recent #killing of SPO Javed Dar on October 2 at Pinglana in #Pulwama & an outside labourer from West Bengal on September 24 in Pulwama," tweeted the police.

On October 2, a local terrorist of the proscribed terror outfit Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) was neutralised by the police in a joint operation with security forces in the Baskuchan area of Shopian in J-K.

The terrorist was identified as Naseer Ahmad Bhat of Nowpora Baskuchan, Shopian, according to ADGP Kashmir.

Based on a specific input generated by Police regarding the presence of a terrorist in the village Baskuchan area of Shopian, a joint cordon and search operation was launched by Police, Army (44R) and CRPF (178Bn) in the said area.

During the search operation, as the joint search party approached the suspected spot, the hiding terrorist fired indiscriminately upon the joint search party which was retaliated effectively leading to an encounter.

The police had recovered incriminating materials, arms and ammunition including one AK rifle from the site of the encounter. According to the police, all the recovered materials had been taken into case records for further investigation.