Three militants killed in encounter in J-K’s Pahalgam

Three militants were killed on Monday in a gunfight with security forces in south Kashmir.

An army spokesperson said that three AK rifles were recovered from the militants who were killed in Awoora village of Pahalgam in Anantnag district. Police said the militants were all locals and belonged to Hizbul Mujahideen outfit. The bodies have been handed over to their families after completing all legal formalities, a police official said.

Police said the gunfight erupted on Sunday evening after security forces received inputs about presence of militants in Awoora village. They launched a cordon and search operation which triggered an encounter with the militants.

Locals said as soon as the news of the encounter spread, people from neighbouring villages tried to march towards the site triggering clashes with the security forces.

On Sunday, security forces also arrested a suspected militant of the Lashkar-e-Taiba, believed to be an associate of slain LeT commander Abu Bakr in north Kashmir’s Sopore region.