At least three terrorists were killed during an encounter with security forces in Awoora village in Anantnag district of Jammu and Kashmir around 3 pm on Sunday (January 15). Three AK-47 rifles were recovered from the slain militants, all of whom belonged to the Hizbul Mujahideen.
Sources in the police said the security forces launched a search operation after receiving specific intelligence input about the presence of an unspecified number of terrorists in the village in the Pahalgam area of Anantnag district, the Hindustan Times reported.
It was after the operation was launched in the afternoon that terrorists started firing at the forces. They retaliated and the gun battle that ensued went on for for over two hours.
Reports said loud explosions were heard even late in the night on Sunday near the encounter spot, several hours after the forces had cornered the terrorists. It was, however, not clear as to who detonated the explosives, a report in Hindu said.
Police told the daily that some local people took on the security forces to help the trapped terrorists break free. Tear-gas shells were reportedly used against protesters who pelted stones at the forces in some parts of the district and near the spot of the encounter.
J&K: Encounter underway between security forces & terrorists in Anantnag's Awoora village (visuals deferred by unspecified time) pic.twitter.com/tpnzolBARX
— ANI (@ANI_news) January 15, 2017
FLASH: Encounter underway between security forces and terrorists in Anantnag's Awoora village (J&K). More details awaited.
— ANI (@ANI_news) January 15, 2017
On January 6, Al-Badr terrorist Muzaffar Ahmed was killed in an encounter with security forces in the Machu area of Jammu and Kashmir's Budgam district. Ahmed was earlier believed to be a member of the Lashkar-e-Toiba.
On December 14, 2016, one terrorist from the Hizbul Mujahideen terror outfit was gunned down in an encounter between terrorists and security forces in the Bijbehara town of Anantnag district.
