Tral encounter: Burhan Wani's successor Sabzar Bhat killed in Pulwama; shutdown in Kashmir Valley

Sabzar Bhat alias Abu Zarar had succeeded former Hizbul commander Burhan Wani, who was killed on July 08, 2016, in Anantnag district.

Srinagar: In a big achievement of the Indian Army, Sabzar Ahmad Bhat, who had succeeded Hizbul Mujahideen terrorist Burhan Wani, was killed in an encounter in Jammu and Kashmir on Saturday.

Bhat and one more militant were killed in the encounter with security forces in Tral area of Pulwama district in Kashmir.

A spontaneous shutdown was, meanwhile, observed in the Kashmir Valley following violent protests in the wake of the killing of Bhat.

Confirming the news, Director General of Police SP Vaid told news agency PTI that Burhan Wani's successor Sabzar Bhat is among the two militants killed in the encounter in Soimoh area of Tral this morning.

Soon after the killings, stone-pelting protests started at around 50 places, including Tral in Pulwama and Khanabal in Anantnag in south Kashmir, police said.

Hizbul Commander Sabzar Bhat killed: Know how Burhan Wani's successor was tracked by intelligence agencies

Vaid said the law enforcing agencies are on the job to chase away the protestors.

A person in Mattan area in the district was injured during clashes with security forces, police said.

The situation across the Valley is tense. Unnerved people rushed to their homes, leading to traffic snarls on certain routes. The schools closed three hours early.

Burhan Wani was killed on July 8 last year in south Kashmir. His killing had sparked violence in the Kashmir Valley for months.

Notably, both Wani and Bhat belonged to the Tral area.

Bhat, who carried a reward of Rs 10 lakh, was one of the 11 people in one of the earliest photos of Burhan Wani along with his associates, reported CNN-News18.

Security forces launched a cordon and search operation in Soimoh village of Tral, 36 kms from here, following information about the presence of some top Hizbul Mujahideen militants in the area, a police official said.

An official said as the security forces were closing on the house where the militants were hiding, the ultras opened fire.

The security forces retaliated, killing two militants.

On Friday evening, a patrol party of 42 Rashtriya Rifles was fired at by militants in Tral, but there were no casualties in the brief encounter that ended when militants fled from the spot.

In another development, six militants were killed today on the Line of Control (LoC) in Jammu and Kashmir's Baramulla district as the Army foiled an infiltration bid, according to defence sources.

A group of militants was challenged by the alert troops on the Indian side of the LoC in Rampur sector.

(With Agency inputs)