J-K: Two JeM militants killed in Shopian encounter

Police said in the ensuing encounter, two militants were killed. “It was a clean operation. No collateral damage happened during the encounter,” said the spokesperson.

The slain militants were identified as Abid Wagay, resident of Rawalpora in Shopian and Shahjahan Mir resident of Amshepora in Shopian. “Both the killed terrorists were affiliated with proscribed terror outfit JeM,” the police said.

Officials said both were involved in the abduction and subsequent killings of three policemen in Shopian last year, and in the killing of Special Police Officer (SPO) Khushboo Jan last month.

“Both were also involved in killing of a civilian, Tanveer Ahmad of Bemnipora at Kachdoora in Shopian,” the spokesperson said.

Shahjahan was also involved in snatching of weapons and killing of four police personnel at Arhama Shopian near petrol pump last year, the police said. He was also said to be involved in the abduction and killing of Huzaif Ashraf Kuttay, an alleged informer whose murder was captured on video and circulated in the Valley.

According to police, the two militants were also involved in “arson and setting ablaze of Panchayat Ghars at Kanjiullar and Ramnagar”.

After the encounter broke out, clashes also erupted in Shopian and according to health authorities, 23 people were injured. “We received 23 patients with pellet injuries. Few of them had sustained pellet injuries on their eyes and they were referred to Srinagar for specialized treatment,” said Dr Ab Rashid Najar, Chief Medical Officer(CMO), Shopian. He said that all the injured were stable.