Srinagar: The Jammu and Kashmir police on Tuesday afternoon issued a statement after four militants and a para-commando were killed in a gunfight in Shopian village of south Kashmir.

The police statement, for the interest of our readers, is reproduced below:

“Police and security forces on a credible input about the presence of militants in Nadigam area of District Shopian launched a cordon and search operation in the predawn hours today.

As the search operation was going on, the search party was confronted with bullets fired by the hiding militants. The fire was retaliated leading to an encounter. In the initial exchange of fire one army man identified as HC Vijay of 23 Para sustained injuries and was evacuated to the hospital for medical treatment where he succumbed.

In the ensuing encounter, four militants were killed and the bodies were retrieved from the site of encounter. The killed militants have been identified as Abid Nazir Chopan of Padarpora, Basharat Nengroo of Chotigam Shopian, Mehraj-ud-Din Najar of Drawni and Malik Zada Inam-ul-Haq of Mantujan Shopian.

They were affiliated with proscribed militant outfit HM and were involved in attacks on security establishments and many other civilian atrocities in the area.

Incriminating materials including huge quantity of arms and ammunition were recovered from the site of encounter. Police has registered a case and initiated investigation in the matter.

Citizens are once again requested not to venture inside the encounter zone since such an area can prove dangerous due to stray explosive materials. People are requested to cooperate with police till the area is completely sanitized and cleared of all the explosives materials if any.”