Militant, policeman killed in Kulgam encounter: J&K Police

Speaking to the media, IGP (Kashmir Zone) Vijay Kumar said, “The owners of the house where the terrorist was hiding deliberately misled the search team by saying that no terrorist was in their house, which led to collateral damage.

Police identified the militant as “Babar bhai”, and said he had links to the Jaish-e-Mohammad.(Representational Photo/PTI)

A “top Pakistani” militant was killed in an encounter in Kulgam, South Kashmir, the Jammu and Kashmir Police said on Thursday. A policeman, identified as Constable Rohit Chibb, was also killed during the operation, while three Army soldiers and two civilians were injured, police said.

Police identified the militant as “Babar bhai”, and said he had links to the Jaish-e-Mohammad.

The encounter began late on Wednesday evening in the Parian area of Kulgam. Speaking to the media, IGP (Kashmir Zone) Vijay Kumar said, “The owners of the house where the terrorist was hiding deliberately misled the search team by saying that no terrorist was in their house, which led to collateral damage. Therefore, action under terror law will be taken against them.”

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The condition of those injured in the operation was stable, authorities said.

Babar, police said, was a “categorised militant active since year 2018 in the areas of Shopian-Kulgam and its adjoining areas. He was wanted by law in several terror crime cases.”

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Arms and ammunition including an AK-47 rifle, a pistol and two grenades were among the items recovered from the site of the encounter, according to police.

Senior police officers said 14 militants had been killed since the beginning of the year, out of which at least seven were foreign nationals.

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