J&K: Terrorist gunned down in nocturnal operation in Pulwama's Awantipora

A terrorist has been gunned down in an ongoing operation of security forces in the Meej Pampore area of Anwatipora of Pulwama district.

A top police official said, “Last night, the Awantipur Police launched an operation at village Meez Pampore, along with the Indian Army and other security forces. The target was a house adjoining a big mosque. After an initial exchange of fire, a grenade was thrown outside while the cordon was being laid. The terrorists then seemed to have shifted to the mosque.”

He added, “The exchange of fire resumed as the terrorists shifted to the adjoining shed. One terrorist has been killed in the operation so far.“

"Meej Pampore encounter- So far one unidentified terrorist killed; operation on," Kashmir Zone Police tweeted on this day. 

#MeejPamporeEncounterUpdate: So far one #unidentified #terrorist killed. #Operation going on. Further details shall follow. @JmuKmrPolice https://t.co/kw2P3Ng04a

— Kashmir Zone Police (@KashmirPolice) June 18, 2020

Earlier during the midnight, on a tip-off by informants, a joint team of the Awantipora Police, the Indian Army's 50 Rashtriya Rifles (RR) and the Central Reserve Police Forces (CRPF) had launched a cordon-and-search-operation in Meej Pampore.

The police official said that as the joint team approached the suspected spot, the hiding terrorists fired upon the search party and also lobbed a grenade. The fire was retaliated upon by the joint team, triggering off an encounter. The search operation is still on to neutralize the remaining terrorists in hiding, if any.

Meanwhile, late last night, in a joint operation by the Jammu & Kashmir Police, the Indian Army's 1 RR and the CRPF, one terrorist named Imran Nabi of the Hizbul Mujahideen was arrested in Anantnag. One pistol, along with six rounds of ammunition and several other incriminating materials were recovered from his possession.