Search operation at encounter site in Pulwama ends

SRINAGAR: The search operation near the encounter site in Pulwama district of south Kashmir concluded today as the accomplices of the slain Lashkar-e-Toiba (LeT) militant managed to escape.

"The operation at Astan Mohalla in Kakapora area of Pulwama has been called off as no further recoveries were affected from the debris at the encounter site," a police official said.

LeT militant Talib Hussain Shah alias Umar was killed in the gunbattle yesterday but security forces were looking for two more of his accomplices.

The official said a tight cordon around the area had been maintained overnight to prevent the militants from escaping if they were still inside the cordoned area.

A police spokesman said Shah was involved in a number of militancy-related activities.

"Shah was involved in firing incident at Pampore in which seven BSF personnel got injured. He was also involved in Galander attack in which two police personnel and one civilian got killed," the spokesman said.

He said Shah was also involved in the attack at Puchal in which one Head Constable of railway police was killed.

"The slain militant was involved in Pahu incident in which one CRPF man was killed and others including CRPF inspector and two civilians got injured," the spokesman said, adding a number of case were registered against Shah.

Meanwhile, curfew like restrictions were imposed in Kakapora town and adjoining areas to maintain law and order in view of apprehensions that some miscreants might seek to take advantage of the situation, a police official said.

He said a mob tried to defy the restrictions and pelted stones at the police and paramilitary personnel in the town this morning.

Two persons sustained bullet injuries in the retaliatory action by the security forces, the official said.

Both the injured persons were removed to a hospital here and their condition is stated to be stable, he added.

The authorities have placed hardline Hurriyat Conference leader Syed Ali Shah Geelani and Shabir Ahmad Shah under house arrest as a preventive measure, he added.