Two Jaish-e-Muhammad (JeM) militants, planning to attack an Army recruitment rally, were killed in an encounter in Baramulla. In a separate operation, security forces encircled hiding militants in south Kashmir's Shopian, the Jammu and Kashmir police said on Friday.
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"Intelligence agencies on Friday morning shared a tip-off about the presence of terrorists in Baramulla's Yedipora area. The area was cordoned off and the hiding militants opened fire. In the ensuing encounter, two terrorists were killed," said Rayees Mohammad Bhat, Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP), Baramulla.
He said the terrorists were planning to disrupt the Army’s Agniveer rally in the district. “The terrorists were tasked to disrupt the Army rally and discourage youth from joining. However, the terrorists’ designs were foiled,” Mr. Bhat said.
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One rifle and one pistol were recovered from the encounter site.
The slain militants have been identified as Yawar Shafi Bhat from Pulwama’s Kalampora and Aamir Hussain Bhat from Shopian’s Veshro.
“Both had recently joined terrorist ranks,” the police said.
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Security grid
The SSP said there was an alert and a heightened intelligence grid in north Kashmir. "The success is the result of the heightened security grid," he added.
Additional Director General of Police (ADGP) Vijay Kumar said the slain terrorists were affiliated to the JeM.
In a separate operation, security forces engaged a group of hiding militants in a gunfight in Shopian's Chitragam. The anti-militancy operation was on till late Friday evening. There were no reports of any casualty.
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With the killing of two JeM militants, a total of five JeM militants were killed in three separate operations in Kashmir this week.
Meanwhile, the Bandipora Police along with the Army recovered huge cache of arms and ammunition, including 7 AK-47 rifles, 2 Pistols, 21 AK Magazines, 132 pistol rounds, 13 grenades and other incriminating material in Nowshera Nard, Gurez area of Bandipora.
Security agencies have stepped up operations in Kashmir ahead of Union Home Minister Amit Shah's visit to Jammu and Kashmir next week.