Meanwhile, the spokesperson said that Police, the Indian Army’s 55RR and 185Bn CRPF arrested an alleged militant associate in Awantipora.

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SRINAGAR — The Jammu and Kashmir police on Saturday said that two militants were killed in a military operation in south Kashmir’s Shopian district.

The two militants have been identified as Sameer Ahmad Shah son of Nazir Ahmad Shah, a resident of Dhangam Shopian, and Rayees Ahmad Mir son of Muhammad Ashraf Mir, a resident of Takiya Wahgam Pulwama.

A police spokesperson, in a statement, said that based on inputs about the presence of militants in Kilbal village of Shopian, Jammu and Kashmir Police, Indian Army’s 34RR & 178 Bn CRPF launched an operation in the area.

During the search operation, he said, the militants fired “indiscriminately” on the government forces.

The spokesperson said that in the ensuing encounter, two militants of The Resistance Front (TRF) militant outfit were killed and their bodies were retrieved from the spot. Police claim that TRF is an offshoot of Lashkar-e-Toiba.

As per police records, both the slain militants were part of a group involved in several cases including attacks on government forces and “civilian atrocities”.

The spokesperson said that “incriminating materials, arms & ammunition” were recovered from the site of the operation. “All the recovered materials have been taken into case records for further investigation.”

Police have registered a case under relevant sections of law and an investigation has been initiated.

Meanwhile, the spokesperson said that Police, the Indian Army’s 55RR and 185Bn CRPF arrested an alleged militant associate in Awantipora.

He has been identified as Umer Farooq Bhat son of Farooq Ahmad Bhat, a resident of Renzipora Awantipora.

“Preliminary investigation revealed that the arrested associate was involved in providing shelter, logistic support, transportation of arms/ammunition, and assisting the militants to shift their locations. Besides, he was also passing sensitive information regarding movement of government forces to the militants of Jaish-e-Muhammad.”

A case under relevant sections of law has been registered in Police Station Awantipora and investigation has been initiated, he added.