A militant was killed in an encounter with security forces in Bugam area of Budgam district in Jammu and Kashmir on Sunday morning, said the police. The encounter is still under way. Two to three militants are believed to be trapped in the area, reported Greater Kashmir.
Police identified the militant as Hilal Bhat from Armulla village in Pulwama, ANI reported. He was affiliated with the Hizbul Mujahideen terror group, and was also involved in several other terror cases, police said.
The police said they had recovered arms and ammunition from the encounter site.
The gunfight broke out in Bugam area after a joint team of the Army and the Special Operations Group began a cordon-and-search operation based on a tip late Saturday night.
“Citizens are requested not to visit any encounter site till the site is sanitized by the bomb disposal team,” police tweeted. “The site may contain IEDs, unexploded grenades, live ammunition and other inflammable items which could be fatal.”
This came two days after security forces killed a suspected militant in the district. Four suspected militants were killed in a gunfight with security forces in Shopian district on June 23, and a suspected militant was killed in a gunfight with security forces in Bonyar area of Baramulla district on June 22. On June 18, the Indian Army said that two militants killed in a gunfight in Anantnag district were affiliated to the Jaish-e-Mohammed, and were part of the February 14 suicide attack in Pulwama.
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