3 Hizbul militants killed in Budgam

Three local militants of Hizb-ul-Mujahideen outfit were killed in an encounter with security forces in Charar-e-Shareef area of central Kashmir’s Budgam district on Monday.

The gunfight broke out in the morning when a joint team of army's 53 Rashtriya Rifles, J&K police and paramilitary CRPF launched a cordon-and-search-operation (CASO) in Hapatnar village in Charar-e-Shareef, 45 km from here, after inputs about the presence of three militants in the area.

“As the cordon was tightened, the militants fired at the forces, triggering a gunfight. The militants kept on changing positions and fired heavily on forces. In the retaliatory action three ultras were killed,” a police official said and added the operation prolonged due to the tough terrain and inclement weather.

He said the security forces also blasted the hideout of the militants in the mountainous area, covered under snow.

“So far, one body has been recovered along with arms and ammunition and the other two bodies which are lying inside the hideout are yet to be retrieved. All the slain militants are locals and belong to Hizbul organisation, the officer added.

In 2018, over 250 militants were killed in Kashmir which was the highest in a decade while 217 ultras were killed in 2017. However, despite the increase in encounters and militant killings, Army maintains that recruitment of local youth into militancy has seen a decline in Kashmir during the recent months.