4 militants killed in encounter with security forces in Kupwara

SRINAGAR: Four unidentified militants were killed in an ongoing operation in Kupwara district of north Kashmir, the Army said on Tuesday evening.

The encounter started in the afternoon at around 2:45pm in forest area of Halmatpora, Arampora villages of Kupwara, which is one of the major routes for infiltration. “Four terrorists have been killed so far and operation continues,” a Srinagar-based defence spokesperson said.

Sources in the Army said that three more militants were believed to be trapped in the forest area and that one of them was injured.


“As of now reports suggest that five militants had infiltrated recently and two militants had gone to receive them,” a senior police official told ET. The encounter spot is around six kms from main Halmatpora village in the forests, which has no drivable road .

J&K police officials said the militants were hiding near settlements in the forest area and that they fired upon the joint party of Special Operation Group of police and army men from 41 RR during a cordon-and -search operation.

“The identity of militants cannot be ascertained as of now and things will be more clear tomorrow,” said a police official. None of the bodies were found till Tuesday evening.

According to various data compiled by the government and civil society groups, at least 28 militants, 15 armed forces personnel and 13 civilians were killed in Kashmir this year.

‘Operation All Out’ to wipe out militancy in J&K killed 213 militants in 2017, and 28 more so far this year. As per official data, around 124 militants managed to infiltrate last year, while an equal number of locals joined the militant ranks during the same period.