Three militants killed in encounter with security forces in Jammu and Kashmir’s Budgam

india

Updated: Jan 21, 2019 21:37 IST

Three militants were killed in a day-long gun fight between security forces and militants in central Kashmir’s Budgam district on Monday, army officials said. The operation was still going on when last reports came in.

The encounter started after security forces — police, army and CRPF — cordoned off Hapat Nallah area of Zinpanchal in Budgam following inputs about the presence of militants early on Monday morning.

The cordon triggered an exchange of fire which continued throughout the day. The encounter was prolonged due to snowfall and rains, and because the hideout was in a mountainous forest area.

“As the cordon was being tightened, the hiding terrorists fired upon security forces triggering the encounter,” news agency IANS quoted police as saying, adding that the area is mountainous and reinforcements have been rushed in. The gun fight is going on amid rains and snow in the Valley.

This is the first encounter in central Kashmir’s Budgam this year.

Soon after the gun fight broke out, mobile internet was suspended in Budgam. Protests erupted in south Kashmir’s Pulwama district as rumours spread that the militants were residents of Pulwama.

Nine militants have been killed in the first three weeks of January, including Monday, in Kashmir in different encounters while suspected militants also killed a policeman and a civilian in south Kashmir during this period.