Srinagar:Two militants were shot dead in an encounter with security forces in Sopore area of Baramulla district on Saturday morning.
The operation was carried by SOG Baramulla and 52 Rashtriya Rifles.
Security forces launched an operation in Amargarh area of Baramulla following a tip off about presence of militants in the area, a police official said.
He said the encounter broke out during the cordon and search operations, resulting in the killing of two militants, whose identity and group affiliation was not yet ascertained.
A Sub Inspector of police was also injured while another officer was hurt during the operation, the official said.
One of the two local militants killed in Sopore encounter had gone for arms training on valid documents through the Wagah few years back, police said.
Police said Sajjad alias Babar had undergone a brief training in fire arms and explosives in Pakistan occupied Kashmir in March 2016 on passport and infiltrated to take command of Hizbul Mujahideen in Sopore. He and a few militants were trying to recruit local youth as militants in North Kashmir.
The other slain militant has been identified as Azhar Khan of Kupwara. Both senior commanders of Hizbul Mujahideen outfit were involved in many terrorist activities.
"While one had gone across to seek arms training, the other was locally trained and active in Sopore since close to a year," Nitish Kumar, Deputy Inspector General, North range told News 18.
He said the militants were moving in a vehicle from Handwara and had planned a terror attack somewhere in Srinagar.
"On being intercepted near Amargarh, Sopore, the militants lobbed a grenade and fired upon police party. In the retaliatory firing both got killed.''
A Sub Inspector of Police Mohammad Murtaza and SP operation Baramulla Shafqat Hussain got injured.
Two AK series rifles, one pistol, four hand grenades and other arms and ammunition were recovered from their possession.
Kumar said with the pre-emptive neutralisation of these militants, a major terrorist action was averted.
He said as soon as police got the information about the militants movement in the area, they deputed a police party to challenge them.
"We also kept an army combat unit ready at some distance," he added.
The militant outfit has paid rich tributes to its two slain militants
Hizbul spokesman Burhanuddin said in a statement that two of its commanders "attained martyrdom" in North Kashmir. He identified the duo as Azharuddin alias Ghazi Umar and Sajad Ahmed alias Babar.
"Both were local militants who had been affiliated with the outfit for quite some time. Azaharuddin alias Ghazi Umar was a lecturer by profession who had abandoned government service and joined Hizbul Mujhadeen," the spokesperson said and claimed that many Indian soldiers were seriously wounded in the encounter.
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