J&K: security forces neutralize terrorist involved in killing of two councilors & a cop

In a major success for the security forces in Jammu and Kashmir, a foreign terrorist involved in the killing of two councilors and a policeman on March 29 in the ensuing year was among two terrorists neutralized in an encounter at Nathipora area of Sopore in north Kashmir's Baramulla district. 

Top official sources said that two terrorists were killed in the encounter at the Nathipora area of Sopore after the security forces laid siege in the area after receiving specific inputs about the presence of terrorists in the aforesaid area earlier today. They said among the two eliminated in the encounter is a Pakistan national who was involved in the Sopore attack that rusted in the killing of two councilors including Riyaz Ahamd, Shams ud din, and a policeman Shafqat Nazir On March 29 during a scheduled meeting of elected councilors. 

Just days after the attack, police had come down heavily and apprehended around 6 associates of Lashkar who confirmed their involvement in the attack. Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP), Sopore, Sudhanshu Verma had then claimed that two Lashkar terrorists are involved in the attack and both will be naturalized soon or made to surrender. 

Terming the killing of a foreign terrorist as success, he said that bodies of both have been retrieved, and one AK-47 rifle, one INSAS along with some ammunition has been recovered from the spot while search and sanitize operation is underway at the encounter site. 

In order to maintain the law and order situation in the police district, Sopore authorities have suspended mobile internet services as a precautionary measure.

An official, who was part of the encounter, said that repeated appeals were made to hiding terrorists to surrender but all the attempts but they did not budge and instead, fired upon the joint search party of security agencies. 

Notably, this encounter was the joint operation of Army's 22 RR, SOG Sopore and CRPF.

(Credit-Arawat Mehraj)