Two militants gunned down in encounter in Budgam

Srinagar: Two militants, who opened fire on an army patrol, were killed by the security forces in an encounter today in the Budgam district of central Kashmir.

“Two militants have been killed in the gunfight with the security forces,” a police official said.

A patrolling party of the 53 Rashtriya Rifles came under fire from the militants at village Hayatpora, 18 kms from here, at around 6 PM, triggering a gunbattle between the two sides, a police official said.

The official said reinforcements were rushed to the village and an operation was launched to flush out the militants, during which two of them were killed.

One of the militants has been identified as Younis Maqbool Ganai, a resident of Patrigam area of Chadoora, while the identity of the other is being ascertained, the official said.

An AK-47 assault rifle and some ammunition has been recovered from the encounter site, the official added.