5 militants killed in 2 separate encounters in Pulwama & Shopian

Srinagar:Five militants were killed during the past 24 hours by security forces in two separate encounters which ensued during Cordon and Search Operations (CASO) in the south Kashmir, where a Police Inspector was shot dead by gunmen on Monday night.

Meanwhile, mobile internet has been suspended as a precautionary measure to prevent rumours in Pulwama, where security forces burst teargas shells and resorted to lathicharge to disperse demonstrators who were pelting stones to disrupt CASO.

A police spokesman said this evening that  a CASO was launched by troops of Rashtriya Rifles (RR), Special Operation Group (SOG) of Jammu and Kashmir police and CRPF at village Harkripora Kakpora in Pulwama this afternoon following a tip off about the presence of militants.

He said militants hiding in the area opened fire with automatic weapons on security forces ensuing an encounter. However, one of the militant hiding in a house tried to break the cordon and ran towards nearby orchard was killed. His identity was being ascertained.He said two more militants were killed by the security forces in the encounter.

The operation was still going on when the reports last came in , he said.Meanwhile,  1520  one more unidentified militant was killed on Tuesday morning by security forces in an encounter which ensued during a CASO in south Kashmir district of Shopian on Monday evening, a police spokesman said.

A militant was killed last evening taking the toll to two, he said.He said a CASO was launched by the troops of Rashtriya Rifles (RR), Special Operation Group (SOG) of Jammu and Kashmir police and CRPF at Melhora Bijbehara in Anantnag district last evening. However, when the security forces were moving towards a particular area in the village, militants hiding there opened fire, he said adding security forces retaliated the fire ensuing in an encounter.

A militant was killed last night, he said adding additional security forces were deployed and cordon around entire area was further tightened to foil any attempt by militants to escape under the cover of darkness.With the first light this morning, security forces resumed operation during which fresh encounter took place. 

One more militant was killed in the encounter, he said adding operation has ended.

A police Inspector Mohammad Ashraf was killed by gunmen in Anantnag last night near his house.Lt Governor Manoj Sinha, two former chief minister Omar Abdullah and Mehbooba Mufti have condemned the killing of Ashraf.(UNI)