Gunfight breaks out between militants, security forces in J&K's Shopian

4-5 militants are believed to be trapped forest area

A gunfight broke out between militants and security forces in a forest belt known as Choor Ki Gali in south Kashmir’s Shopian district on Saturday.

A police official said the gun battle erupted after a joint team of army, CRPF and Jammu & Kashmir police launched a cordon-and-search-operation (CASO) in a forest area of Choor Ki Gali in Herpora, Shopian on specific information about the presence of militants in the area.

He said that as the joint team of forces approached the suspected spot, the hiding militants fired upon them, a retaliation of which triggering a gunfight. “As the gun battle is going on in a forest area, it may take some time to get a clear picture,” he added.

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A local news gathering agency KNO quoting unknown sources said four to five militants are believed to be trapped in the area.

On March 27, two militants and an army soldier were killed in an encounter in Wangam village of Shopian. Prior to that on March 22, four militants were killed in a similar gun battle in Manihal area of the same district.

A top police officer said Shopian was on the radar of security agencies to ensure that top leadership of militants is wiped out. “During summers, dense apple orchards and nearby forests give militants an advantage as they often give a slip to security forces when CASOs are launched,” he said.

However, the officer said that with new strategies of security forces in recent years, militants are finding it hard to survive in Shopian now.