Five Terrorists were killed in an encounter which broke out in Samnoo area of South Kashmir’s Kulgam District on Thursday evening.
A top Police Official told Rising Kashmir that in response to credible intelligence indicating the presence of terrorists in Samno village, DH Pora area of Kulgam district, a joint cordon and search operation was initiated on Thursday evening by Kulgam Police and the Army’s 34 Rashtriya Rifles.
As the joint search party approached the suspected spot, the concealed terrorists opened indiscriminate fire, prompting an effective retaliation and leading to an encounter, the official said adding that the CRPF’s 18th Battalion later joined the anti-terrorist operation.
Official said that due to the darkness, the operation was temporarily halted until early morning to maintain a secure cordon throughout the night.
The official further said that with the first light today, the operation was resumed, resulting in the elimination of five terrorists. The bodies of the terrorists have been recovered and identified as Yasir Bilal Bhat @Humais, Danish Hameed Thoker, Ubaid Ahmad Padder, Sameer Farooq Sheikh, and Hanzal Yaqoob Shah. All were associated with the proscribed terror outfit LeT/TRF”, he added.
The killed terrorists were classified as categorized terrorists and were involved in many terror crimes, including attacks on police/security forces and civilian atrocities. They were also implicated in multiple assaults on minority pickets, official said.
Sameer Farooq and Danish Hameed were specifically involved in an attack on Kashmiri Pandit Sonu Bhat in Chotigam, Shopian, official said adding, Danish Hameed and Hanzal Yaqoob Shah participated in a terror attack on outside laborers in Gagren, Shopian, injuring three laborers on July 13, 2023.
Sameer Farooq Sheikh was additionally involved in enticing local youth to join terrorist ranks and participated in an attack on a minority picket in Heepora Batagund, Shopian, he added.
He said that incriminating materials, arms & ammunition including 04 AK-series rifles, 04 Grenades and 02 Pistols were recovered from the site of encounter. All the recovered materials have been taken into case records for further investigation.
A case under relevant sections of the law has been registered, and ongoing investigations aim to uncover additional details, he added.
The official urged residents to cooperate with the police until the encounter site is completely sanitized and cleared of any remaining explosive materials.
The Pic used in the story is a file pic
