Srinagar: The security forces on Friday killed four militants including two Special Police Officers (SPOs) who had deserted their units and joined Jaish-e-Muhammad in an encounter at Panjran, Lassipora area of South Kashmir’s Pulwama district.
The two SPOs, who had gone missing along with their weapons, on Thursday were killed just 24 hours of their disappearance. A police official told KNO that a joint team of Army, CRPF and SOG men surrounded the Panjran, Lassipora village following the inputs about the presence of militants on Thursday evening.
“While the searches were being conducted, the militants hiding in the area fired upon the forces,” said the official, adding that the fire was retaliated, leading to an encounter. “For the whole night, the intermittent firing was on and with the first light of the day, four militants were killed.” Two of the slain militants were identified as Shabir Ahmad of Tujan, Pulwama and Suliman Ahmad of Uthmulla ,Shopian, the two SPOs, who had joined militancy 24 hours ago.
Shabir and Suliman were working as SPOs with Jammu and Kashmir Police and had vanished from District Police Lines on Thursday morning with their service rifles. The other two slain militants were identified as Irfan Ahmad Bhat of Arihal Pulwama and Ashiq Hussain Ganie of Panjran.
“All the four slain militants were part of Jaish-e-Muhammad outfit,” a police official said. In a statement issued here, police spokesman said that in the gunfight, two listed militants and two SPOs who had recently deserted the police and became members of JeM were killed. “Many cases were registered against the two slain militants other than SPOs,” the police said.
Meanwhile, clashes broke out at the encounter spot, but the security forces resorted to firing of tear gas shells and lathi charge to disperse the protestors. Clashes later spilled over to many areas and according to witnesses intermittent clashes were going on between youth and government forces till evening. Later, thousands of people reached the native villages of four slain militants to participate in their funeral prayers amid pro-freedom and pro-Islam slogans.
