Two terrorists gunned down in Kashmir’s Kulgam district

Two terrorists allegedly belonging to the Hizbul Mujahideen were gunned down in Khudwani in Kashmir's Kulgam district after an intense gunfight between security forces and militants broke out in the early hours of today.

In addition, a militant over-ground worker (OGW) has been arrested alive.

Acting on a tipoff, Indian armed forces cordoned off a village in Khudwani area at 3:00 am today, when they were fired upon by holed-up militants.

Confirming the reports, Army Northern Command in Udhampur told Hindustan Times that the two militants were killed in an encounter with police, Army and the Central Reserve Police Force in Khudwani, while one person was arrested.

The two militants killed in the exchange of fire have been identified as Dawood Ahmed Ali and Shaiyar Ahmed Wani and the OGW as Arief Sofi. An AK-47and an INSAS rifle has been recovered from the encounter site.

Both Hizbul operatives were part of the Altaf Kachru group in Anantnag and Kulgam belt. Dawood was earlier involved in a murder of a village head (sarpanch) and the Arwani bank robbery.

This comes hours after an encounter in the Shopian district on Sunday, when a Hizbul terrorist was neutralised and another apprehended alive.

Khudwani, once notorious for stone-pelting mobs, did not witness any resistance from civilians after today's encounter.

The two encounters have occurred in the Kashmir Valley at the time of Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh's four-day visit to the state.