Two unidentified militants killed in ongoing encounter in Jammu and Kashmir's Kulgam

Two unidentified militants were killed in an ongoing encounter with security forces in south Kashmir’s Kulgam district on Monday.

The gunfight erupted early Monday morning after army’s 34-Rashtriya Rifles and Jammu and Kashmir police launched a cordon-and search-operation at Mirwani Damhal, Hanjipora, Kulgam, 100 km from Srinagar, following an input about the presence of two to three militants in the area, reports said.

An official said that as militants got trapped, security forces asked them to surrender. However, they opened fire, which was retaliated triggering an encounter, he said and added two militants have been killed in the operation so far.

Inspector General Police (IGP) Kashmir, Vijay Kumar while confirming the killing of two militants in the encounter said the operation was going on and the identity of the slain militants is yet to be ascertained.

Mobile internet services were suspended in Kulgam and neighbouring Shopian district as a ‘precautionary’ measure.

Since the beginning of this year, 75 militants have been killed across Kashmir in dozens of encounters with security forces. And 154 militants were killed in gun battles across Kashmir in the first seven months of 2019. 

In the next five months, only 20 militants were neutralised by the security forces as anti-insurgency operations almost came to a halt as security and communication clampdown was imposed to prevent civilian protests in the wake of revocation of Article 370 on August 5.

Last week, Jammu and Kashmir Police chief Dilbagh Singh said that less than 240 militants were active in Kashmir.