Two LeT militants trapped in Kulgam encounter

Ahmed Ali Fayyaz

SRINAGAR, Jun 21: Two local militants of Lashkar-e-Tayyiba got trapped on Sunday night in an operation launched jointly by Kulgam District Police and Army at Redwani Bala, in Kulgam district, in South Kashmir.

DIG South Kashmir Nitish Kumar told STATE TIMES that the Police and Army launched the joint operation late on Sunday evening on a specific information. According to the tip off, two LeT militants, Javed Ahmad Bhat r/o Reddwani Bala and Idrees Nengroo r/o Badru Yaripora, were present at their hideout. Preliminary reports had identified one of the holed up militants as
Hizbul Mujahideen's top wanted militant, Altaf Ahmad Dar alias Altaf Kachroo alias Turabi S/O Late Ghulam Mohammad Dar Hawoora Mishipora Kulgam.

DIG said that the two LeT militants opened fire from their hideout. It triggered off an encounter, twice from 8.30 pm to 10.30 pm.

Residents gathered and resorted to intense stone pelting on the Police and Army. Forces retaliated with baton charge and tearsmoke. "We are dealing with the situation", DIG said. Even as some reports said that bith the holed up militants managed to escape, DIG asserted that Police and forced were maintaining the cordon and they would not withdraw the operation under any circumstances.

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