Fourth encounter in Jammu and Kashmir in 10 days leaves Doda militancy free, according to authorities

• An encounter with security forces in Jammu and Kashmir’s Anantnag district killed three terrorists.
  
• One of them was a Hizbul Mujahideen commander by the name of Masood.
  
• With his death, Doda district is now militancy free, according to Director General of Jammu and Kashmir Police Dilbag Singh said.
  
• This is at least the fourth encounter in Jammu Kashmir in the last 10 days.
  

An encounter in Kashmir’s Anantnag district led to the death of three terrorists. Two were Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) terrorists — including one district commander — and one Hizbul Mujahideen commander who went by the name Masood.

"Doda district in Jammu Zone becomes totally militancy free once again as Masood was a last surviving terrorist of the Doda District," Director General of Jammu and Kashmir Police Dilbag Singh said.

The police said Masood was involved in a rape case and was on the run. He later joined the Hizbul Mujahideen and shifted his area of operation to Kashmir.

The authorities in Kashmir launched a cordon and search operation (CASO) at Khul Chohar in South Kashmir acting on the information that terrorists were present in the area. The operation turned into an encounter when one of the terrorists fired on the search party, who then retaliated.

According to the Indian Army, one AK 47 rifle and two pistols were also recovered during the encounter.

Number of encounters in Jammu and Kashmir on the rise
Three days ago, on June 26, another three terrorists were killed when troops launched a similar operation at Chewa Ullar in Tral of the Union Territory’s Pulwama district after receiving information about the presence of terrorists in the area.

On June 21, three militants — including one involved in the killing of BSF troopers — were killed on Sunday in a gunfight between holed up militants and the security forces in J&Ks Srinagar city after several attempts to make them surrender failed.

In separate gunfights, eight terrorists were killed in Kashmir on June 19. Three terrorists were killed in Awantipora area of Pulwama district while five others were killed in Shopian district. One terrorist was killed in an encounter with the security forces in Meej village of Awantipora area. In the other gunfight in Bandpawa village of Shopian district, four terrorists were killed.

(with inputs from IANS and PTI)

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