J-K encounter: 3 HM terrorists killed in Pulwama

Three terrorists affiliated with proscribed terror outfit Hizbul Mujahideen were killed in an encounter in Jammu and Kashmir's Pulwama district on Saturday, Jammu and Kashmir police said.

"On a credible input, a cordon and search operation was launched today by police and security forces at Pangam area in Awantipora," state police said in a statement.

"In the ensuing encounter, three terrorists were killed and the bodies were retrieved from the site of encounter. The killed terrorists have been identified as Showkat Dar of Panzgam Awantipora, Irfan War of Wadoora Payeen Sopore and Muzaffar Sheikh of Tahab Pulwama," police added.

All the three killed terrorists, according to the police records, were affiliated with proscribed terror outfit Hizbul Mujahideen. They were wanted by law for their complicity in a series of terror crimes including attack on security establishments and civilian atrocities. Several terror crime cases were registered against them.

Incriminating materials including arms and ammunition was recovered from the site of encounter. Police has registered a case and all these materials have been taken in the case records for the purpose of investigation and to probe their complicity in other terror crimes.

The Jammu and Kashmir police has requested citizens "not to venture inside the encounter zone since such an area can prove dangerous due to stray explosive materials."

People are requested to cooperate with police till the area is completely sanitized and cleared of all the explosives materials if any.