Two anti-militancy operations at separate locations continued late on Saturday night in south Kashmir’s Kulgam district. Preliminary reports suggested four militants and two soldiers were killed in the ongoing operations.
“Security forces had received information about the movement of militants. A target house was cordoned off when the hiding militants opened fire in Chingam in Kulgam’s Frisal area. The operation is not over yet,” Inspector General of Police (IGP) V.K. Birdi said on Saturday night.
Mr. Birdi confirmed that the bodies have been spotted at the encounter site in Chingam. “However, the details on the number of slain militants will be revealed only after the operation is over,” he said.
Official sources said at least four bodies were found lying at the encounter site in Frisal. One of the slain militants is believed to be a top ‘commander’ of the Hizbul Mujahideen.
Mr. Birdi said the anti-militancy operation also continued in Modergam in Kulgam, where an encounter broke out early on Saturday.
Two soldiers were reported dead in the twin encounters.
“We have cases of critical injuries. We have fatality on our side,” Mr. Birdi said, without divulging further details about the casualties.
On the encounters taking place at a time when the Amarnath yatra is on in south Kashmir, the IGP said, “The encounter sites were in the interiors of Kulgam and were away from the national highway. The J&K Police and other agencies keep a tab on such activities. This success is a result of that.”
An Army spokesman said the encounters started after the forces received “specific information” about the hiding militants.
