For the third straight day, three more terrorists were killed in north Kashmir’s Baramulla district on Wednesday taking the toll to nine. The terrorists were killed in a fierce encounter in Binnar village where police and security forces launched an operation on specific information on movement of terrorists.
The three slain terrorists are believed to be cadre of Lashkar-e-Tayyeba (LeT) outfit, two of them suspected to be foreigners.
Security sources said that a joint team of army, Police and CRPF launched a cordon-and-search operation at Binner village on the outskirts of Baramulla district on the basis of inputs about the presence of terrorists.
As the forces zeroed in on the suspected spot, the hiding terrorists opened fire triggering off a gunfight. “As the searches were going on, the search party was fired upon by the terrorists. The fire was retaliated leading to a gunfight,” a police spokesman said.
“In the ensuing encounter, three terrorists were killed and the bodies were retrieved from the site of encounter. Their identities and affiliations are being ascertained,” he said.
“Incriminating material including arms and ammunition was recovered from the site of encounter. Police have registered a case and initiated investigation in the matter,” he added.
“Citizens are requested not to venture inside the encounter zone since such an area can prove dangerous due to stray explosive materials. People are requested to cooperate with police till the area is completely sanitised and cleared of all the explosive materials if any,” police spokesman said.
This was the third encounter in as many days in the Valley. The three gunfights in south, central and northern parts of Kashmir resulted into the killing of nine terrorists. On Monday, three terrorists were killed in an encounter in Hapatnar village of Chrar-e-Sharief area in central district Budgam while three more were killed in Shirmal village of south Kashmir’s Shopian district on Tuesday. The encounters took place ahead of tight security arrangements in the wake of Republic Day.