An encounter that started Saturday night between militants and security forces in south Kashmir’s Tral claimed the life of a policeman and killed two militants, including a suspected Hizbul Mujahideen member, even as forces had to fend off stone-pelters.
Sabzar Ahmad Bhat, who replaced the slain Burhan Muzafar Wani, is suspected to be trapped at the encounter site, but it would be confirmed only after his body is found, state DGP SP Vaid told HT.
An official at the police control room in Awantipora said the slain Jammu and Kashmir policeman, Manzoor Ahmed Naik was a native of Salamabad area of Uri.
A senior police officer told HT that two militants were also believed to have been killed in the encounter. But he added that no body had been recovered.
The encounter began after a joint team of police and Army started a cordon and search operation in Hafoo area of Tral in Pulwama district based on inputs about the presence of militants in the area.
The official said that the gun-battle was continuing and there was no confirmation on the number of militants trapped.
On hearing about the encounter, locals began pelting stones at the security forces. An INSAS rifle was snatched away from a CRPF jawan at the main square at Tral, away from the encounter site.
Bhat is considered a successor of Burhan Wani, a popular militant whose killing in an encounter last year triggered massive protest and unrest for months.
Source: HindustanTimes