Militant, 'active associate' killed in encounter in Shopian

SRINAGAR: A militant and his "active associate" were killed in a shootout with security forces in Shopian district of Jammu and Kashmir, police said Monday.

"During the preceding night, security forces at a checkpoint on Shopian-Turkawangom road at Mool Chitragam (in the south Kashmir district) intercepted a vehicle. However, the terrorists boarding the vehicle opened fire from inside on the security forces," a police spokesman said.

He said the security forces retaliated and in the process, "one terrorist identified as Firdous Ahmad Bhat and an active associate Sajad Ahmad who was driving the vehicle got killed".


Both of them were residents of neighbouring Kulgam district, the spokesman said, adding another militant managed to flee taking advantage of the darkness.

The spokesman said according to police records, Bhat was a "listed terrorist".

The bodies have been handed over to their legal heirs after completion of medico-legal formalities, he said.

"Incriminating material, including arms and ammunition, were recovered from the spot. All these materials have been taken into case records for further investigation and to probe their complicity in other terror crimes," the spokesman added.