Jammu and Kashmir: 6 terrorists killed in Shopian identified, belonged to Hizbul Mujahideen and LeT terror outfits

The Jammu and Kashmir Police on Sunday identified the six terrorists killed in Shopian district of Jammu and Kashmir in an overnight encounter.

Of the six terrorists killed, four of them belonged to terror outfit Hizbul Mujahideen and the two others were from Lashkar-e-Toiba (LeT), according to news agency ANI. Shopian SSP, Sandeep Chaudhary, also confirmed that both the district commanders of the terror outfits were killed. 

At least six terrorists and a soldier were killed in an encounter between terrorists and security forces in the district. The martyred soldier was identified as Naik Nazir Ahmad.

The terrorists have been identified as Mushtaq Ahmad Mir, Mohammad Abass Bhatt, Umar Majeed Ganaie, Mohd Waseem Wagay, Khalid Farooq Mali and the sixth terrorist is learnt to be a foreigner from Pakistan, confirmed the state police.

Ganaie had escaped from Batmaloo encounter that took place in August this year informed the Jammu and Kashmir police. His photo was recently circulated on social media which showed him near Lal Chowk in Srinagar. He has figured in killings of many police personnel as well as civilians since 2016. Several terror cases are also registered against him.

The six were killed in an encounter at Hipura Batagund village in Kapran area of Shopian district of south Kashmir, Srinagar-based defence spokesman Col Rajesh Kalia said. He said a soldier also lost his life in the operation.

The terrorists were eliminated in a joint operation by the Rashtriya Rifles (RR), troops of Special Operations Group (SOG) of the Jammu and Kashmir Police and the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF).

A huge cache of arms has been seized from the encounter site. An investigation is currently underway.

Security forces launched a cordon and search operation in the area around midnight following specific information about the presence of terrorists there.
The search operation turned into an encounter after the terrorists fired upon the forces, who retaliated. The operation is over, the defence spokesman said.

Meanwhile, clashes also broke out between protesters and the security forces near the encounter site. Mobile and internet services were suspended by the authorities in south Kashmir's Shopian district soon after the encounter as a preventive measure.

The anti-terror operation comes days after the security forces killed at least six terrorists in an encounter in the Anantnag district. One of the terrorists identified as Azad Ahmad Malik, who was allegedly involved in the murder of journalist Shujaat Bukhari, was also killed in the operation.