Security forces killed two militants in a gunfight in Jammu and Kashmir’s Shopian district, the police said on Wednesday morning. A joint team of the Indian Army, police and the Central Reserve Police Force launched a search operation in Melhora village in Shopian on Tuesday, following which the gunfight began.
“As the combing [operation] was underway, the hiding militants opened fire which triggered a gunfight,” an unidentified police officer said, according to The Tribune. “In the operation, two militants were killed.” Later, another militant was killed.
The militants are yet to be identified. Defence spokesperson Rajesh Kalia said the operation was still underway and more militants could be hiding in the village, Rising Kashmir reported.
This is the second time an encounter has broken out in Melhora village over the past week. On April 22, four militants were killed in a gunfight in the village.
There have been a series of skirmishes between security forces and militants in Jammu and Kashmir over the past week.
On April 27, three militants were killed after an encounter broke out in Lower Munda in Qazigund area of Kulgam district. The encounter began when militants fired upon a police patrol party in Lower Munda.
The previous day, the security forces killed four militants in an encounter in Kulgam district. On April 24, the police had rescued constable Sartaj Ahmad Itoo, who was abducted, and killed two militants in a brief shootout in Shirpora Frisal area of the district.
On April 23, militants had abducted constable Javaid Jabbar in Shopian district. However, they set him free within hours.
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