A militant was killed late on Tuesday during an overnight gunfight with security personnel in Sopore area of Jammu and Kashmir’s Baramullah district, a police official said. The police are yet to ascertain the identity of the deceased and the group he was affiliated to, PTI reported.
The security forces had launched a search operation in the evening after they received information about the presence of militants in the area, the police said, adding that the cordon was strengthened to prevent the militant’s escape.
“On a credible input, a cordon & search operation was launched jointly by police and security forces at Wadoora Payeen in Bomai area of Sopore,” a police spokesperson said, according to Greater Kashmir. The gunfight ensued after the militant fired upon the security forces, the official added.
The security personnel involved in the operation were the Indian Army’s 22 Rashtriya Rifles, Special Operations Group Sopore, along with 177, 179, and 92 Central Reserve Police Force Batallion Baramulla and the Jammu and Kashmir Police, Global News Kashmir reported.
The body of the militant was recovered along with arms and ammunition from the location of the encounter.
Meanwhile, as a preventive measure, internet services have been discontinued in Sopore and all government and private educational institutions have been asked to remain closed on Wednesday.
“Citizens are requested not to venture inside the encounter zone since such an area can prove dangerous due to stray explosive materials,” Greater Kashmir quoted police officials as saying. “People are requested to cooperate with police till the area is completely sanitized and cleared of all the explosive materials if any.”
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