Srinagar: Jammu and Kashmir Police and security forces on Wednesday killed three militants in a joint encounter in Hokersar area on the outskirts of Srinagar city.
Pointing out that a search and cordon operation was launched on Tuesday evening following specific information, police said that contact with militants was established when they hurled grenades and firing indiscriminately from inside a building on search parties. Following darkness, firing was suspended but cordon remained intact throughout night.
On Wednesday morning, the operation was resumed appeals to hiding militants to surrender. However, the militants opened fire making the security forces retaliate. All the three militants were killed before noon, police said, identifying the slain militants as Ajaz Maqbool Ganie, Ather Mushtaq both residents of Pulwama and Zubair Lone of Shopian. An AK-47 riffle, two pistols and a few grenades were recovered from the slain militants.
Meanwhile, General officer Commanding of the Kilo Force, H S Sahi, said the slain were planning a big strike on the highway to gain publicity. “Since past many days, intelligence inputs were pouring in continuously about the movement of militants on the Srinagar-Baramulla highway. Yesterday, we developed leads and came to know that militants are hiding in a house right opposite to Noora hospital at Lawaypora in HMT area,” he said.
