Hizbul commander among five terrorists killed in fierce encounter in Kulgam's Chowgam; search ops launched

A top Hizb-ul-Mujahideen (HM) commander is among five terrorists who were killed in a fierce encounter that started early morning in Chowgam village in Kulgam district of south Kashmir, reports said. Terrorists from the Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) outfit were also killed in the encounter. The identity of the Hizb-ul-Mujahideen commander has not been released as yet. However, an army official told PTI that weapons and war-like stores have been recovered from the encounter site. The encounter between the militants and security forces began this morning after the forces launched a cordon-and-search operation in the area following intelligence inputs about the presence of militants there. While the forces were conducting the searches, the militants fired upon the forces, ensuing a gunfight. SP Pani, IGP Kashmir, confirmed the death of the five terrorists with ANI, adding that a search operation is underway.

#UPDATE: Total five terrorists have been killed so far, search operation underway: IGP Kashmir SP Pani on Kulgam encounter https://t.co/CbDRwuU3cL

— ANI (@ANI) September 15, 2018

A police official said the killing of the terrorists was a huge success for the forces. “It is a huge success for police and security forces. The militants belonged to both Hizb-ul-Mujahideen and Lashkar-e-Taiba,” he said. According to the police, the terrorists were trapped inside a house in Chowgam area of Qazigund town. According to Kashmir Reader, the police had neutralised three terrorists at a early stage of the encounter, and “there was a long lull after some blasts in the area however firing resumed after forces started searching for bodies”. The security forces however managed to neutralise the other two militants as well following exchange of fire. The Jammu and Kashmir Police said on Saturday that the militants were involved in a series of terror acts including killing of two bank employees and several policemen. These militants, it added were also involved in bank robberies and weapon looting.

A huge success for Police and security https://t.co/uuE58IFiES was a combo of HM and LeT terrorists.Most of them were involved in a series of terror acts including killing of 2 bank employees and many policemen.Also involved in bank robberies and weapon looting.

— J&K Police (@JmuKmrPolice) September 15, 2018

ANI tweeted that the train services between Baramulla and Qazigund have been suspended following the incident.

Encounter between terrorists & security forces is underway in Kulgam's Chowgam. 3 terrorists have been killed so far. Train services between Baramulla-Qazigund have been suspended: #JammuAndKashmir Police (visuals deferred by unspecified time) pic.twitter.com/FKpU426GVd

— ANI (@ANI) September 15, 2018

Earlier on Thursday, security forces had killed three terrorists of pro-Pakistan Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM) in an encounter in Jammu and Kashmir’s Reasi district, a day after they fired on a police party in Reasi and escaped. According to PTI, 12 security personnel, including three officers, were injured in the encounter. Police had said the militants of Pakistani origin had crossed the International Border (IB) in Tarnah nallah and reached Kashmir from the Dayalachak area of Kathua district in a truck. The encounter had broke out after security forces, comprising CRPF, police and Army personnel, during a cordon and search operation, zeroed in on a location near a house in the district’s Kakriyal area, and surrounded the terrorists Thursday afternoon, they said. With inputs from agencies