Jammu & Kashmir: 2 Armymen, including Major, martyred in Shopian encounter

The encounter comes two days after the death of LeT chief commander Abu Dujana

Visuals of encounter between security forces & terrorists in J&K's Shopian

Srinagar: Two armymen, including a major, were martyred while three soldiers reportedly injured after terrorists open-fired on a patrol party of security forces at Imam Sahab area of South Kashmir`s Shopian district on Thursday morning.

"The injured were immediately airlifted to 92 base hospital in Badami Bagh cantonment area, where Major Pandey and Sepoy Tanzin later succumbed to their injuries," said sources, reported IANS.

Three soldiers including Major Kamlesh Pandey, Sepoy Tanzin and Sepoy Kripal Singh were injured in the attack.

A cordon and search operation was launched by Army in Zaipora area of Shopian during the night following intelligence inputs about the presence of militants there, a police official said.

Encounter lasted half an hour, eliminated 2 Hizb-ul-Mujahideen terrorists who were involved in many cases: Shridhar Patil, SSP #Kulgam, J&K pic.twitter.com/eZvkargqja — ANI (@ANI_news) August 3, 2017

During the search operation, the terrorists fired upon the search party, injuring  the three army personnel. The injured were later taken to Army's 92 base hospital in Srinagar, where two of them, including a major, succumbed, the official said, adding that the other jawan is undergoing treatment.

The search operation at Zaipora is on, the official said.

About 2 to 3 militants are reportedly holed up in the area.

#VISUALS: Encounter b/w security forces & terrorists in J&K's Shopian. 3 Army personnel injured. ( Visuals deferred by unspecified time ) pic.twitter.com/jiwzOJaWn2

— ANI (@ANI_news) August 3, 2017

In a separate incident, two militants were killed in a brief encounter with the security forces in south ​Kashmir's Kulgam district last night, said the police.

Suspecting presence of terrorists, the Indian Army and the police launched a cordon and search operation at the Sugan village of Shopian district, reported news agency ANI.

"Two militants were killed in an encounter with security forces in Gopalpora area of Kulgam this morning," a police official told PTI.

He said one of the slain militants was involved in an attack on a bank cash van in the district on May 1 this year in which five policemen and two bank guards were killed.

The security forces have recovered two weapons from the site of the encounter, the official said, adding further details are awaited. 

On Tuesday, LeT chief commander Abu Dujana of Pakistan along with his accomplice Arif were killed in an encounter with security forces at Hakripora village in Jammu and Kashmir`s Pulwama district. Following this, the separatists had called for `bandh` to protest the killing of two Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) terrorists and a civilian.The civilian was killed in protest that erupted following an encounter in which LeT terrorist Abu Dujana and Arif were gunned down by security forces.