Two Hizbul Mujahideen (HM) militants, including an Army deserter, were gunned down early Tuesday morning in an encounter with security forces in Shopian district of Jammu and Kashmir.
Following specific inputs about the presence of militants, security forces had cordoned off Safanagri village early in the day, prompting the hiding terrorists to fire that led to the encounter, a police officer said.
Both slain Hizbul Mujahideen militants were identified as Muhammad Idrees and Amir Hussain.
A search operation was underway.
Idrees Sultan alias Chota Abrar was a resident of Safanagri Shopian and Hussain alias Abu Sobaan is a resident of Awneera Shopian.
“They were affiliated with proscribed terror outfit HM and were involved in terror attacks on security establishments and many other civilian atrocities in the area,” an official said.
The spokesperson said Sultan was a deserter from the Indian Army and had joined the militant ranks in April this year.
Incriminating materials, including arms and ammunition, were seized from the site of the encounter, he said.
Police have registered a case and initiated investigation into the matter, he said.
(With agency inputs)