LeT militant killed in Shopian encounter; US-made M4 carbine rifle recovered

Srinagar: A Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) militant was killed in encounter which ensued after security forces launched a Cordon and Search Operation (CASO) in south Kashmir district of Shopian on Sunday.

A US-made M4 Carbine rifle was recovered from the slain militant.

A police spokesperson said that that following specific information, a joint CASO was launched by Special Operations Group (SOG) of J&K police, 34 Rashtriya Rifles and 14th battalion of CRPF in village Rawalpora in Shopain at around 2000 hrs on Saturday.

He said during the search operation, as the presence of militants got ascertained they were given opportunity to surrender. However, he said the militants fired indiscriminately upon the joint search party, which was retaliated leading to an encounter.

“Due to darkness the operation was suspended however the cordon remained intact throughout night,” he said.

He said with the first light on Monday, repeated announcements were again made asking the militant to surrender. “But the militant fired on joint search party which was retaliated,” he said, adding in the exchange of fire one militant, identified as Jahangir Ahmad Wani, a resident of Rakh Narapora Shopian was killed.

He said as per police records, the killed militant was active since September 1, 2020 and was involved in several militancy related cases, including attacks on security forces and civilian atrocities.

“Arms and ammunition, including USA made M4 Carbine rifle and other incriminating materials were recovered from the site of encounter so far. All the recovered materials have been taken into case records for further investigation and to probe his complicity in other crimes,” he said.

During the encounter, he said three houses caught fire while as a group of miscreants tried to disrupt the operation and created law and order problem near the encounter site during which some miscreants were also injured.

However, to track the other hiding militants, cordon and search operation in the area is still going on, he added. (UNI)