SRINAGAR: In the overnight encounter in a Sopore village, two militants were killed and the gun battle is still on. Police did not rule out the possibility of many more militants still alive and fighting.
Details revealed that the police on basis of “very specific information” laid a cordon around a particular patch of houses in Chak-e-Brat village that falls in the Shankargund Brat belt. Early morning when the searches started, the militants hiding in the area opened fire and it established the contact.
“By now two militants are dead and we have recovered the bodies,” one police official on the spot said. “The operation is still on as we believe there are more militants inside.” Operation is being carried out by 22-RR and SOG.
Police source said they are not aware about the affiliation of the militants but presumably they could be from Hizb ul Mujahideen. At least one house belonging to Peerzada Basir Ahmad Shah in which the militants were holed up has gone up in smoke, reports added. Police said they have recovered three weapons so far.
Authorities had already snapped the mobile internet connectivity in the belt. The entire north Kashmir belt was already sensitive. Authorities in Baramulla and Bandipora had already closed the colleges for the day while schools were permitted to function routinely.
