3 LeT militants killed in encounter with security forces in Sopore

Srinagar: Three Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) militants were killed on Tuesday in an encounter with security forces in Sopore in Jammu and Kashmir's Baramulla district.

 A police official said that following specific information about presence of militants, a joint CASO was launched by Special Operation Group (SOG) of Jammu and Kashmir police, 52 Rashtriya Rifles (RR) and CRPF at Pethseer in Sopore late last night.

''During the search operation as the presence of militants got ascertained, they were given opportunity to surrender,'' he said.

However, he said instead the militants fired indiscriminately upon the joint search party which was retaliated leading to an encounter. ''Due to darkness, the operation was suspended, while the cordon was kept intact,'' he said, adding in the wee hours, repeated announcements were again made to the militants to surrender.

He said militants again fired on joint search party and the fire was retaliated. ''In the ensuing encounter, three militants were killed and their bodies were retrieved from the site of encounter. They have been identified as Faisal Fayaz, a resident of Kapren Shopian, Ghulam Mustafa Sheikh, a resident of Tekipura Kupwara and Rameez Ahmad Ghanie, a resident of Zipor Dharamati, Shopian,'' he said.

He said the trio was affiliated with proscribed outfit LeT (TRF). ''As per police records, the killed militants were part of groups involved in several crime cases, including attacks on security establishments and civilian atrocities,'' he said.

He said incriminating materials, arms and ammunition, including one AK-47 rifle two two Pistols, were recovered from the site of encounter. All the recovered materials have been taken into case records for further investigation and to probe their complicity in other attacks,'' he said.

In this connection, he said Police have registered a case under relevant sections of law and investigation has been initiated.

Inspector General of Police (IGP), Kashmir, Vijay Kumar, congratulated security forces for conducting two successful operations during the last 24 hours. ''Joint security force teams are working with great synergy and coordination on the ground,'' he said.

He said the collective efforts of J&K Police, Army, CRPF and people of Kashmir Valley have led to killing of more than 100 militants in the current year so far in Kashmir division.

Five LeT militants, including two top commanders, have been killed in encounter with security forces in Kashmir during the last 24 hours. (UNI)