One policeman was killed in encounter in Jammu and Kashmir's Tral
Two terrorists who were holed up inside a residential building in South Kashmir's Tral have been killed in an encounter in south Kashmir's Tral. A policeman has also died and three security personnel have been injured in a gunbattle that started on Saturday evening and lasted for over 24 hours.
Blasts were heard and security personnel exchanged heavy fire with the terrorists on Saturday. The area was quickly cordoned off. Police said the terrorists were still firing intermittently till Sunday morning even though the house which the terrorist had used as a fortified bunker was demolished.
Manzoor Ahmad, the policeman who has died, was part of an assault team of the security forces that launched the operation following a tip off about presence of two Hizbul Mujahideen terrorists at a house in Tral's Shikargah.
"We have lost one policeman in the encounter. He fought valiantly to neutralise heavily armed terrorists. It is exceptional bravery," said a senior police officer supervising the operation.
One of the terrorists killed in the encounter reportedly had close ties with Burhan Wani, the poster boy of Hizbul who was killed in July last year. His killing had triggered a wave of protests in the Valley, and in the subsequent unrest nearly 100 people were killed and more than 12,000 were injured.
As the fierce encounter started Saturday evening, according to the police, protesters clashed with the security personnel to disrupt the operation. Police said some protesters snatched a rifle from a CRPF officer on duty.
"As the security forces closed on the hiding terrorists, they came under heavy automatic gunfire which was returned, leading to a gunfight," a police officer said, adding that some top terrorists active in south Kashmir areas are among the trapped militants, police said.