Two Hizbul Mujahideen militants were killed in an operation on Thursday in the Anantnag Lok Sabha constituency, where two phases of elections are scheduled in the coming weeks.
The police said Safdar Amin, 25, and Burhan Ahmad Ganaie alias Saifullah, 25, both residents of Anantnag district, were encircled by security forces at Bagender Mohalla in Bijbehara early in the morning.
“During searches, the militants fired upon the search party. In the ensuing encounter, both the militants were killed and the bodies were retrieved from the site of encounter,” said the police.
According to the police, the slain militants, who belonged Hizbul Mujahideen, “were wanted in a series of terror crimes, including attack on security establishments”.
The police said incriminating materials including arms and ammunition was recovered from the site of encounter. “All these materials have been taken in the case records for further investigation,” said the police.
Hundreds of locals participated in the funeral prayers of the slain militants at Bijbehara and S.K. Colony Lazibal.
The killings come fours days ahead of second phase of polling in the Anantnag Lok Sabha seat.
“Every killing during the elections will impact the turnout. There should have been attempt to arrest them alive. We have already seen a low turnout in the first phase in Anantnag. There is a worry that such encounters will only act as contributing factors in keeping the turnout low,” said People’s Democratic Party (PDP) leader Naeem Akhtar.
