Militant killed in encounter in Bandipora, combing operation underway

A heavy gunbattle is still underway in Hajin area of Bandipora in J&K.

A militant was gunned down in an encounter with security forces early on Thursday morning at Hajin in north Kashmir’s Bandipora district, officials said.

“One terrorist of LeT (Lashkar-e-Taiba) apparently FT (foreign terrorist) killed in an encounter in Hajin Bandipore today morning in a joint operation of J&K Police/Army/ CRPF,” director general of state police SP Vaid tweeted.

Security forces launched a cordon and search operation in Shakurdin village in the morning after receiving information about presence of militants there, another police official said.

He said the search operation turned into an encounter after militants opened fire on security forces.

The encounter took place barely two days after body of a Pakistani militant was recovered from Hajin.

The militant is said to have escaped after suffering bullet injuries in a gunfight with the security forces in the area a day earlier.

Agitated locals did not hand over the body to the police and buried it in a local graveyard. Police said in a statement that action would be initiated against those “who led the protest and instigated the public”.

Later on Tuesday night, police issued another statement which said, “Certain sections of media mostly on cyber platforms are carrying news related to Hajjn in a manner which is not correct. Such malicious campaign indicates designs of mischief mongers to exploit the situation. General public is requested not pay heeds to such rumours.”

Local media reports said that Hajin observed a shutdown both on Tuesday and Wednesday over the militant’s death.