Srinagar/July, 5 :Two Hizbul Mujahideen militants, including a foreigner, who were killed in a gunfight with government forces in South Kashmir’s Kulgam district on Saturday have tested positive for COVID-19, police said.
The samples of the two militants were taken for COVID-19 test during medico-legal formalities and their reports came back positive on Sunday, said police.
The militants were killed on Saturday in a gunfight in Arrah area of Kulgam. An Army man also suffered injuries during the gunfight.
“While carrying out the medico-legal formalities, the samples of the slain terrorists were taken and sent for COVID-19 test. Today, the test reports were received from CD Hospital, Srinagar and both the killed terrorists were confirmed as coronavirus positive,” a police spokesperson said on Sunday.
The bodies of the militants would be taken in protective care ambulance and buried strictly as per the COVID-19 protocol in Baramulla, he said.
According to police, one of the two militants was a foreigner and identified as Ali Bhai alias Hyder. The identity of the second militant hasn’t yet been ascertained.
The spokesperson said since the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic, the burials of militants are carried out at designated places to minimise the risk of people contracting the infection.
Medico-legal formalities, which include post-mortem, DNA and COVID-19 tests, are strictly followed in respect of such slain militants, he said.
