The encounter broke out in the wee hours of Tuesday when security forces cordoned off Heff-Shirmal village of Shopian district following intelligence inputs about the presence of terrorists in the area.
Security forces dealt a major blow to terrorists on Tuesday when they killed three of their cadres, including the brother of a serving IPS officer posted in northeastern India, in the Shopian district of South Kashmir.
Violent clashes erupted near the gun-battle site, causing injuries to some civilians. Four media persons covering the encounter were also injured, some of them were hit by pellets fired by security forces.
The encounter broke out in the wee hours of Tuesday when security forces cordoned off Heff-Shirmal village of Shopian district following intelligence inputs about the presence of terrorists in the area.
Terrorists, sources said, were hiding in an underground hideout at the orchard, when security forces launched the operation. When forces were zeroing in on the hideout, terrorists fired indiscriminately, triggering an encounter. In the ensuing firefight, three terrorists were killed. The underground bunker used as a hideout was also smashed by the forces.
One of the slain terrorists, Shamsul Haq Mengnoo, 25, is the brother of 2012 batch IPS officer. Two others have been identified as Aamir Suhail Bhat and Shoaib Ahmad Shah.
Police said it was a difficult operation due to the terrain and there were clashes in the area, which was handled by security forces. "Only four persons were injured and three of them were discharged after preliminary medical attention. Separately, six personnel from the security forces injured during the clashes have been discharged after medical attention," said a police spokesman.
Clashes erupted after people tried to march towards the gun battle site on Tuesday. Security forces lobbed smoke shells and fired pellet guns to disperse the mob. Four media persons covering the incident were injured, which evoked sharp reactions from the industry and political parties.
"Highly unfortunate reports about journalists injured, including some with pellet injuries, while covering clashes in South Kashmir. I condemn this incident. The indiscriminate use of force, often without any accountability, will always be counterproductive," tweeted Omar Abdullah, former chief minister.
Several media organisations, while condemning the incident, urged Governor Satya Pal Malik and Director General of Police, Dilbag Singh, to put an end to the attacks on journalists, who are working under difficult conditions.
A student of Bachelors of Unani Medicine and Surgery (BUMS) at a government college at Zakura on the outskirts of Srinagar, Shamsul had gone missing on May 26 last year, and two months later, Hizbul Mujhadeen released his picture brandishing an automatic gun.
"Shamsul Haq, brother of IPS officer who had joined terrorist ranks, was among the three terrorists killed today in Shopian. I remember the efforts that were made by his brother and other family members and J&K Police to bring him back to the mainstream but he met a sad end today," tweeted Former Director General of Police, Dr Shesh Paul Vaid.
This the second encounter in Kashmir in the last 24 hours. Three Al-Badr terrorists were killed at Hapatnar, Budgam district on Monday.
IPS officer’s brother killed
A student of Bachelors of Unani Medicine and Surgery (BUMS) at a government college at Zakura on the outskirts of Srinagar, Shamsul Haq Mengnoo, one of the terrorists killed, had gone missing on May 26 last year, and two months later, Hizbul Mujhadeen released his picture brandishing an automatic gun
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