SRINAGAR: Two Lashkar-e-Taiba terrorists were gunned down by security forces in an anti-insurgency operation in south Kashmir’s Shopian district early on Monday. A huge cache of arms and ammunition was seized from the encounter spot.

“The slain terrorists were identified as Shabir Ahmad Malik alias Abu Maviya from Tungduno, Yaripora in Kulgam district who was active since December 2017; and Amir Ahmad Dar from Wadina Melhoura area who was active since 2019,” a police spokesperson said, adding that Malik was a Pakistan-trained terrorist involved in many cases in south Kashmir.

“During a search of the encounter site, the security forces recovered one AK-47 rifle, one AK-47 magazine, five Chinese pistols and a magazine of the same, besides five 9mm live rounds,” the spokesperson said.

Based on intelligence inputs about the presence of two terrorists, a joint team of Army’s 1st RR, police and CRPF’s 178 Bn launched a cordon-and-search operation in Khojpora village of Shopian’s Reban area. “The holed-up terrorists opened fire at the search party, triggering an encounter in which both were killed,” a police spokesperson said.

Two labourers killed, two injured in mysterious explosion at Army’s FAD camp

Two labourers were killed and an equal number injured in a mysterious explosion inside Army’s 21 Field Ammunition Depot (FAD) at Khundroo near Achabal in Anantnag district on Monday.

The labourers, around six in number, were working at the FAD camp when the blast took place. At least four of them sustained splinter injuries and were rushed to the camp’s medical facility, where two of them succumbed. The others are under treatment.

The deceased were identified as Fayaz Ahmad Bhat (43) and Gulzar Ahmad Khan (36), both residents of Anantnag’s Kothar belt. They had been working with FAD for more than 10 and seven years respectively.

