Two militants, who kidnapped a policeman, were killed in a shootout in south Kashmir on Friday, according to the police.
“A police party neutralised the two militants and rescued a [kidnapped] constable. However, one policeman was injured,” Inspector General of Police (IGP), Kashmir, Vijay Kumar, said in a statement in a WhatsApp group.
Police sources said the militants were travelling in a car along with the abducted policeman when they were stopped near a checkpoint by the Army and the police at Kharpora, Arwani in Bijbehera in Anantnag district, leading to a brief encounter.
The policeman was kidnapped when he was heading home in Kulgam on Friday. It was second such attempt in the past two days in Kulgam. Earlier, militants abducted a policeman in Kulgam on Thursday evening but the police managed to rescue him. On Sunday, one policeman was killed inside his house in Anantnag.
Meanwhile, the police on Friday said they allowed three families which identified three slain militants killed in an encounter on Wednesday to participate in their burial in Sonamarg two days ago.
“Three out of four slain militants were identified by their families. These families participated in the burial in the presence of a magistrate,” the IG said in a statement.
Four militants, who belonged to the Lashkar-e-Taiba, the Hizbul Mujahideen and the Jaish-e-Muhammad, were killed in Melhura village of Shopian on Wednesday.
To a question posed by a journalist whether the burials were allowed in their native places, Mr. Kumar said, “No”.
Police sources said the three slain militants belonged to south Kashmir. The police have decided to bury local militants over 130 km away from their native places.
The move comes as in the past, funerals in native places saw violent protests and recruitment of local boys.
The police have did not name the militants or their native places.
3 jawans injured
Meanwhile, three CRPF jawans were injured in a grenade attack on Friday in Budgam.
“A grenade was thrown at the E/29 Battalion of the CRPF camp at Dooniwari village in Chadoora. Three CRPF personnel got minor injuries,” the IG said.
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