Srinagar
Thousands of people on Tuesday participated in the funeral prayers of two militants who were killed today morning in an encounter in south Kashmir Shopian district.
The slain duo was killed today in a gunfight with the government forces in Safanagri area of the district. Reports said that thousands of people from the various areas of the district took part in the last rites held at Safanagri and Awneera villages of Shopian, where the slain militants were buried.
Reports also claimed that the Hurriyat (G) Syed Ali Geelani addressed the mourners telephonically.
The encounter began on today during pre-dawn hours after a joint team of army and SOG launched a cordon-and-search operation at Safanagri following specific inputs about the presence of some militants. As such the joint team of forces intensified the searches and fired some warning shots towards the suspected spot, the hiding militants opened fire triggering off a gunfight.
The gunfight later ended up with the killing of two militants. The slain duo was identified as Mohammad Idrees Sultan, alias Chota Abrar, son of Mohammad Sultan, a resident of Safanagri Shopian, and Amir Hussain Rather, alias Abu Sobaan, son of Mohammad Amin Rather, a resident of Awneera Shopian.
A police spokesman earlier said that duo was affiliated with proscribed militant outfit HM and were “involved in attacks on security establishments and many other civilian atrocities in the area”.
He said “Incriminating materials including arms and ammunition were recovered from the site of encounter. Police have registered a case and initiated an investigation in the instant matter.”
