M Tech student among two militants killed in Shopian
Shopian: Two militants were killed in a brief shootout with government forces in Pargochi area of Shopian district in south Kashmir on Saturday afternoon, police sources said.
They said that acting on specific inputs about the presence of militants in the area, a joint team of army’s 44 RR and SOG launched a search operation in the orchards at Pargochi and Losedanew Villages of ImamsahibShopian.
Soon after forces started a search operation, the hiding militants opened fire which was retaliated and later resulted in the killing of two militants, sources added.
The slain militants were identified as Bilal Ahmad from KeegamShopian and Rahil Rashid Sheikh of NunerGanderbal.
Reports said that soon after the gunfight ended clashes erupted near the encounter as protestors raising slogans resorted to stone pelting.
However, the troops managed to come out of the villages, sources said. They said that as the gunfight started authorities snapped internet services in the district.
Police said that the slain militant Rahil was a student of M Tech. He had joined the militant ranks few days before.
The other one, Bilal Ahmad as per his family went missing on 31st July 2018 and ever since, they said that they had been looking for him.
“After failing to trace him we filed his missing report at concerned police station,” said his cousin.
His family had repeatedly asked him to return home as his mother was suffering from Diabetes and high blood pressure, while his father was suffering from a chronic stomach ailment.
Bilal, a class 12th dropout was driving an auto rickshaw before joining the militant ranks. He is survived by a brother and a sister besides his parents.
Jahangeer Ganaie
