Tribune News Service

Srinagar/Anantnag, August 2

Security forces on Thursday gunned down two militants, who had two days ago overpowered a policeman and snatched his rifle in Kupwara district. The looted weapon was also recovered.The gunfight erupted this afternoon at Khumriyal, Lolab, nearly 100 km from Srinagar, when militants fired at a joint checkpoint set up by the security forces.“While the checking at the naka was going on, terrorists fired on security personnel which was retaliated by the alert forces. In the brief encounter, two terrorists were eliminated by the security forces,” a police spokesman said.The killed militants have been identified as Bilal Ahmad Shah and Zahoor Ahmad, both residents of Kupwara. Affiliated to the Hizbul Mujahideen militant group, the duo had joined militant ranks this year.“Both terrorists were involved in several attacks on the security establishments and civilian atrocities in the area. Besides one AK-47, one INSAS rifle was recovered from the terrorists which had been snatched from a policeman in the Kandhar area of Kupwara (on July 31),” the spokesman said.There was no collateral damage during the encounter.The gunfight broke out close to the area where the rifle of a policeman was snatched on Tuesday. In a first such incident in Kupwara, militants had snatched a rifle from a policeman at Maidanpora area of Lolab on July 31. Incidents of rifle-snatching have earlier taken place in south and central Kashmir.

Protester hurt in firing

A protester was injured in the alleged firing by forces on Thursday in Lolab following the killing of two local Hizb militants. The injured has been identified as Mohammad Jamal Tantary. The forces allegedly opened fire on a group of protesters at the encounter site. The police said they were verifying the details.Ultras take away rifle from bank in AnantnagMilitants on Thursday afternoon snatched a 12-bore rifle of a bank guard in south Kashmir’s Anantnag district. The incident of weapon-snatching comes a day after militants robbed a branch of the SBI in the neighbouring Kulgam district and decamped with Rs 5.7 lakh. According to police reports, militants targeted a J&K Bank branch in the Brakpora area of Anantnag district. “We have reports that two people snatched the rifle from the bank guard about 3 pm,” a senior police official said. “No cash has been looted from the bank.”