Srinagar: The Jammu and Kashmir police on Tuesday afternoon said that two militants slain in a predawn gunfight in south Kashmir’s Shopian were inspired by IS ideology.

A police spokesperson in a statement said that the two slain militants have been identified as Sayar Ahmad Bhat of Yaripora Kulgam and Shakir Ahmad Wagay of Awneera Shopian.

He said that as per police records both the slain were inspired by IS ideology. “They were wanted by law for their complicity in  crimes including attack on security establishments.”

He said that according to the police records, they were part of groups involved in planning and executing militant attacks in the area and many other civilian atrocities. “Shakir Wagay according to police records was involved in case FIR No 25/2019 pertaining to the killing of civilian Irfan Hameed Sheikh of Zainapora.”

The spokesperson said that incriminating materials including arms and ammunition was recovered from the site of encounter. “All these materials have been taken in the case records for the purpose of investigation and to probe their complicity in other crimes.”