During the search operation, as the joint search party approached towards the suspected spot, the hiding terrorists fired indiscriminately upon them, which was retaliated effectively leading to an encounter. Later on, CRPF (18BN) also joined the anti-terrorist operation.
However, due to darkness the operation was kept on hold till early morning. The cordon remained intact throughout the night & with the help of additional reinforcement the cordoned area was further strengthened.
With the first light today, the operation was resumed, which resulted in the elimination of five terrorists. Their bodies have been retrieved from the site of encounter & have been identified as Yasir Bilal Bhat @Humais son of Bilal Ahmad Bhat resident of KG RAINA Wanpoh, Danish Hameed Thoker son of Abdul Hameed, Ubaid Ahmad Padder son of Wali Mohd Padder, both residents of Chakoora Shopian, Sameer Farooq Sheikh son of Farooq Ahmad resident of Chak Cholend Shopian and Hanzal Yaqoob Shah @Hanzilla son of Mohd Yaqoob Shah resident of Rawalpora Shopian. All the killed terrorists were linked with proscribed terror outfit LeT/TRF.
As per the police records, the killed terrorists were categorized terrorists and involved in several terror crime cases including attacks on Police/SFs and civilian atrocities. They were also involved in number of attacks on minority pickets. The killed terrorist Sameer Farooq and terrorist Danish Hameed were involved in attack on a Kashmiri Pandith Sonu Bhat of Chotigam, Shopian. Terrorist Danish Hameed alongwith terrorist Hanzal Yaqoob Shah were also involved in terror attack on outside labourers at Gagren, Shopian on 13/07/2023, in which 03 outside labourers got injured. Terrorist Sameer Farooq Sheikh was also involved in instigating & luring local youth to join terrorist ranks besides was involved in attack on minority picket at Heepora Batagund, Shopian.
Incriminating materials, arms & ammunition including 04 AK-series rifles, 04 Grenades and 02 Pistols were recovered from the site of encounter. All the recovered materials have been taken into case records for further investigation.
In this regard, a case under relevant sections of law has been registered and further investigation is in progress. People are requested to cooperate with Police till the area at encounter site is completely sanitized and cleared of all the explosive materials, if any.