The search operation near the encounter site in Pulwama district of south Kashmir concluded today as the accomplices of the slain Lashkar-e-Toiba (LeT) militant managed to escape. Police official said that as no further recoveries were affected from the debris at the encounter site, the search has been called off.
The gun battle erupted when the Special Operations Group (SOG) of local police cordoned off Asthan Mohalla locality of Kakapora in Pulwama, on receiving specific inputs about militants hiding in a house. LeT militant Talib Hussain Shah, Alias Umar was killed but security forces were looking for two more of his accomplices. A police spokesman said Shah was involved in a number of militancy-related activities.
“The slain militant was active in Pulwama district since last year and he was on the wanted list of the security forces,” a senior police officer said. The official said that a tight cordon around the area had been maintained overnight to prevent the militants from escaping if they were still inside the cordoned area.