Srinagar: Two Pakistan-supported terrorists were today killed by security forces in two separate encounters in Kashmir.
Police also claimed to have averted targeted killings of minority Hindus and electees of local bodies in the Valley by arresting two terrorists assigned the task.
One terrorist was eliminated in an overnight encounter in Khandipora area of Kulgam district, police said.
The encounter took place late last night after security forces, comprising Jammu and Kashmir Police, Army and CRPF, launched a cordon and search operation in the area following input about presence of terrorists there.
As the hiding terrorist opened fire, the security forces managed to evacuate the civilians who got trapped.
In the encounter that ensued in the night, a terrorist of Hizbul Mujahideen, identified as Rasiq Ahmed Ganie of Shouch in Kulgam, was killed, a police spokesman said in the morning.
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The killed terrorist was involved in several terror crime cases, the spokesman said.
The security forces recovered a 303 Rifle with 23 rounds, a Pistol with 31 rounds and a hand grenade from the encounter site.
In the evening today, another encounter took place in Drabgam area of Pulwama district after security forces launched an operation to hunt down hiding terrorists.
Soon after, Kashmir Zone police tweeted: “01 terrorist killed. Operation going on. Further details shall follow.”
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Meanwhile, the police said it had arrested two newly-recruited terrorists of Pakistan-based Laskhar-e-Taiba (LeT) outfit in Baramulla district, who were tasked to target representatives of minority community and Panchayati Raj Institution.
Senior Superintendent of Police of Baramulla district Rayees Mohammad Bhat said the two had gone missing last month and intelligence inputs suggested that they had joined terrorist ranks through a module of LeT.
“Inputs further revealed that both the terrorists were tasked to operate in general area of Pattan for targeting vulnerable soft targets and PRI (Panchayati Raj Institution) members/minority community,” Bhat said.
Two Chinese-made Pistols with 18 live rounds and 3 magazines were recovered from their possession, the SSP added.
