Srinagar: Jammu and Kashmir police on Sunday issued following statement regarding Shopian gunfight saying that on a specific input generated by Police, a joint cordon and search operation was launched by Shopian police, 1 RR and 178 Bn CRPF in Reban area of district Shopian.
A police spokesman in a statement said that during the search operation, the hiding militants fired on the joint search party and the fire was retaliated leading to an encounter.
โIn the ensuing encounter, five militants were killed and their bodies have been retrieved from the site of encounter,โ said the spokesman.
He said that the identification and affiliation of the killed terrorists is being ascertained. However, as per credible sources, the slain militants belonged to proscribed militant outfit Hizb ul-Mujahideen and one among the killed militants is believed to be a top commander.
โIn case any family claims the killed militants to be their kith or kin can come forward for the identification,โ said the spokesman.
โIncriminating material including arms and ammunition were recovered from the site of encounter,โ he said.
โAll the recovered materials have been taken into case records for further investigation and to probe their complicity in other crimes,โ he added.
โIn this connection, a case under relevant sections of law stands registered in Police Station Zainapora and investigation has been initiated. People are requested to cooperate with police till the area is completely sanitized and cleared of all the explosive materials if any,โ said police spokesman in a statement.
