Militant, SPO killed in encounter in Baramulla

A militant and a Special Police Officer (SPO) were killed while a Sub-inspector was injured in an encounter in Jammu and Kashmir's Baramulla district on Wednesday, a police spokesman said.

"Exchange of fire between Security forces & terrorists in Baramulla. Area under cordon. Details will follow. @JmuKmrPolice," said Kashmir Zone Police on Twitter on Tuesday night. 

On a credible input, a cordon and search operation was launched jointly by police and security forces in Ganie-Hamam area, said the police spokesperson.

During the search operation, the hiding terrorists fired on the search party. The fire was retaliated leading to an encounter, he added.

In the exchange of fire, two policemen -- identified as SPO Billal Ahmad and SI Amardeep Parihar -- sustained injuries, the spokesman said. SPO Billal succumbed to his injuries. 

"Baramulla update: Encounter is over. One terrorist killed. Identity being ascertained. Arms and ammunition recovered. Our colleague SPO Billal attained martyrdom. SI Amardeep Parihar injured in the incident is being treated at Army Hospital. @JmuKmrPolice" -- confirmed Kashmir Zone Police in a tweet on Wednesday morning.

"We pay our rich tributes to martyr Billal who made supreme sacrifices in the line of duty," the spokesman said.

A later tweet said that the dead militant was identified as Momin Gojri of Baramulla affiliated with the proscribed Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT).

The spokesman said that citizens are requested not to venture inside the encounter zone since such an area can prove dangerous due to stray explosive materials.

People are requested to cooperate with the police till the area is completely sanitized and cleared of all explosive materials, if any, he added.