Shopian encounter: Two militants killed, Army JCO injured

Srinagar: Two militants were killed and a Junior Commissioned Officer (JCO) was injured in an encounter which ensued after security forces launched a Cordon and Search Operation (CASO) in south Kashmir district of Shopian early Tuesday, official sources said.

Clashes erupted in Shopian and Pulwama, where authorities suspended mobile internet service as a precautionary measure to prevent spread of rumours.

Acting on a tip-off about the presence of militants, troops of 34 Rashtriya Rifles (RR), Special Operation Group (SOG) of Jammu and Kashmir police and Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) launched a joint search operation in village Kundalan, Shopian, in the wee hours of Tuesday. However, when the security forces were sealing the village and moving towards particular area, the militants hiding there opened indiscriminate firing with automatic weapons, resulting in injuries to a JCO. The injured was admitted to 92 base hospital at Badamibagh cantonment.

Security forces also retaliated ensuing in an encounter, in which two militants were killed, they said, adding that the operation was going on when reports last came. The house from where the militants were firing on security forces was blasted, they said, adding that firing has stopped.Security forces are removing debris of the house to recover the bodies of the militants, the sources added.(UNI)