Four ISJK militants killed at Gunbattle near Amarnath Yatra route; J&K

A day after four terrorists were shot dead by security forces in Jammu and Kashmir’s Anantnag after an intense gun battle, it is being suspected that they were hatching a plot to attack pilgrims on the Amarnath Yatra route.

On Friday, J-K DGP SP Vaid had said that the terrorists belonged to the Islamic State Jammu & Kashmir (ISJK). He said that an operation was launched following information about the presence of the 3-4 terrorists in the area.

According to a report in the Times of India, the killing of the terrorists, who may have been planning an attack on Amarnath Yatra, have dealt a strong blow to ISJK.

Following a rise in the terrorist activities, security arrangements for the Amarnath Yatra were tightened in the last week.

One of the terrorists killed on Friday was identified as Dawood, a top commander of the outfit.

One police jawan also lost his life in the encounter. He was a member of the special operations group (SOG) of the J-K police. Three other security personnel were injured.

Militants had opened fire at security forces when the latter was conducting a cordon and search operation in the area located in south Kashmir. Police said there was specific intelligence input about the presence of militants in the area.

Security forces retaliated to the firing from the militants thus turning the search operation into a gunfight.

“As the security forces tightened the cordon around hiding militants, they fired, triggering an encounter which is underway,” a police officer said.

Reports say that dozens of youth started pelting stones at the security forces some distance from the encounter site. Authorities have suspended mobile Internet services in the district to check the spread of any kind of rumours.

The gunfight is the first major operation launched since the state came under Governor’s Rule. On 20 June, the day the state came under Governor’s Rule, security personnel from the police, CRPF and Indian Army killed three terrorists belonging to Jaish-e-Muhammad (JeM) militants in Tral area of Pulwama district.