Three militants killed in encounter in Kulgam

Three militants behind the abduction and killing of a police constable were today killed in an encounter with security forces in Kulgam district of Jammu and Kashmir, Director General of Police (DGP) S P Vaid said here.

Constable Saleem Shah was abducted by militants from his residence in Mutalhama area of Kulgam in south Kashmir on Friday and his body, bearing severe torture marks, was recovered yesterday.

“3 (three) bodies of terrorists recovered with three weapons so far from encounter site,” Vaid wrote on Twitter.

Earlier, the DGP said the group behind the abduction and killing of the constable were trapped in the encounter at Khudwani in Kulgam district of south Kashmir.

“Terrorists group that tortured our colleague CT Mohd Saleem of Kulgam & killed him brutally are all trapped in an encounter with J&K Police/Army/CRPF in Khudwani Kulgam,” he said.

The encounter began this morning as security forces launched a cordon and search operation in Khudwani after receiving specific intelligence input about the presence of militants in the area.

The search operation turned into a gun battle as the militants fired upon the search party of the forces who retaliated and in the ensuing gun fight, three militants were killed.

While the identity and group affiliation of the slain ultras was yet to be ascertained, the police had yesterday said the militants behind the abduction and killing of the constable belonged to Hizbul Mujahideen outfit.