Two Jaish-e-Muhammad (JeM) militants were killed in an overnight joint operation of the Army, police and the CRPF in south Kahsmir’s Anantnag on Saturday.
A police official said that during the operation, the forces cordoned off Shishtargam area in Dooru on Friday night and found two militants hiding there.
“The face-off resulted in an encounter with the terrorists. Both the terrorists were killed without any collateral damage,” said the official.
The police said preliminary investigation suggested both the slain militants were “foreigners from Pakistan”. “Based on the seizures made from the spot and other incriminating materials collected so far, it can be said that the terrorists belonged to JeM,” the official said.
AK-47 rifles and grenades were recovered from the encounter site, said the police. The identity of the militants could not be ascertained immediately.
Meanwhile, a JeM spokesman said the outfit will “avenge the killings”. “We will continue to fight in J&K till last Indian soldier is here,” said the JeM spokesman.
The militants’ killing triggered violent protests in parts of Anantnag, forcing authorities to stop train services and suspend the internet. The authorities shifted the venue of all Class 12 bi-annual examination centres to District Institutes of Education Trainings Centre at Khanabal “as a precautionary measure”.
A spontaneous shutdown was observed in Anantnag and Kulgam.
Funeral prayers in absentia were held for the slain militants, whose bodies were seized by the police for the final rites.
