Two newly-recruited LeT militants killed in encounter in J&K’s Baramulla

Two newly-recruited militants affiliated with Pakistan-based Lashker-e-Taiba (LeT) outfit were killed in a pre-dawn encounter with security forces in Kreeri area of north Kashmir’s Baramulla district on Thursday.

Police said the duo was killed in Wanigam village of Kreeri after security forces launched a pre-dawn operation following information about the presence of terrorists in the area.

Also Read | Infiltration bid foiled as two militants killed along LoC in Kashmir

The slain militants were identified as Shakir Majid Najar and Hanan Ahmad Seh from south Kashmir’s Shopian district and belonged to the proscribed terror outfit LeT, Additional Director General of Police (ADGP), Kashmir, Vijay Kumar said. One AK rifle and a pistol were recovered from the encounter site.

According to reports, the duo had joined militant ranks just in March this year. The local recruitment into militancy has reduced drastically this year in the Valley though still some young boys are joining militant ranks in southern districts of Kashmir.

As per police data there is no local militant in north Kashmir’s Kupwara and Bandipora districts and central Ganderbal district, while only one local ultra each is active in south Kashmir’s Anantnag district and Baramulla district and central districts of Srinagar and Budgam.

This was the second encounter in the last 24 hours as the security forces have been put on a high alert in the wake of intelligence inputs that terrorists are preparing for a major attack ahead of the G-20 tourism working group meeting to be held in Kashmir from May 22 to 25.

On Wednesday, police and Army foiled an infiltration bid along the Line of Control in Machil sector of neighbouring Kupwara district. Two unidentified terrorists were killed during the operation.