Two militants killed in separate encounters

Srinagar: Two militants were killed and three others managed to escape after two separate encounters at Kupwara and Doda districts in Jammu and Kashmir on Wednesday. A police spokesman here said that police and army killed an unidentified militant at Shatigam Ganai Mohalla, Laribal in Handwara town in north Kashmir’s Kupwara an encounter today.  The spokesman said that acting on specific information about the presence of armed militants in the village, Police, 21 and 52 RR of the army, launched a joint operation last night. As the joint team zeroed in on a particular house, militant holed up inside opened fire, which was retaliated.    “The encounter ended today with the killing of one un-identified militant. The body of the slain militant was recovered from the debris,” the spokesman said. An Ak Rifle, two magazines, a wireless set and a GPS (Global Positioning System) were recovered from the encounter site. “Searches on the debris are still on,” the spokesman said. However, the sources said that two other militants managed to escape.  The locals in the area have accused forces of using “excessive” force due to which five residential houses were damaged.They said that the houses of Rajab Ganie, Ali Mohammad Ganie, sons of Mohammad Jamaal, Abdul Aziz Ganie, Abdul Qadir, Abdul Majeed and Abdul Samad were razed to ruble due to alleged motor shelling by the army. Meanwhile, police and army killed associate of a top militant commander in Kishtwar district of Jammu.   SP operation, Mohan Lal told that a Lashkar-e-Toiba (LeT) militant was killed in a fierce with police and 8 RR of army in Gundha in Doda district.  He said that on spotting the joint team, militants opened fire, which was retaliated, resulting in the fierce gunfight, he said.In the gunbattle, a LeT militant identified as Mohmmad Ishaq alais Munazil was killed, he said, adding two Chinese made grenades, a dragger and some other material was recovered from the spot.However, sources said District Commander HAbib Gujjar alia Abu-Salman, managed to escape during the encounter.Meanwhile, unidentified persons scarred off a recently elected panch, Ghulam Ahmad Bhat, by hurling a firecracker at his residence at Hishroo Chadoora in central Kashmir’s Budgam district. Even though the panch is said to have reported to police that unknown persons hurdled a patrol bomb towards his residence, SP Budgam, Utam Chand told that it was firecracker.