2nd encounter erupts in Kashmir in less than 12 hours (Ld)

Srinagar, May 28 (IANS) Suspected terrorists escaped from the house in which they were trapped during an encounter with security forces at Warpora area of Sopore in north Kashmir on Friday evening, officials said.

The firefight at Sopore was the second encounter that erupted in Kashmir in less than 12 hours after an exchange of fire between between terrorists and security forces at Ganapora area of Shopian district in south Kashmir earlier on Friday.

"In the evening at about 19:30 hrs, when a joint party of police and security forces was cordoning off a suspected house, terrorists fired upon our party and escaped from the house during a brief exchange of fire," the police said, adding that reinforcements have come and a nearby orchard has been cordoned off where search is going on.

Meanwhile, one terrorist was killed in the Shopian encounter. The police said that acting on a specific input regarding the presence of terrorists in Ganapora area of Shopian, a joint cordon and search operation was launched by the police, army and CRPF.

The police said during the search operation, as the presence of terrorists got ascertained, they were given repeated opportunities to surrender. However, they fired indiscriminately upon the joint search party which was retaliated, leading to an encounter.

"In the ensuing encounter, one terrorist was killed and his body was retrieved from the site of the encounter. He has been identified as Aitmad Ahmad Dar, a resident of Awend Shopian who was linked to proscribed terror outfit LeT. As per police records, the killed terrorist was involved in several terror crime cases," the police said.

They further added that arms and ammunition, including one AK-56 rifle, and other incriminating materials were recovered from the encounter site.

"All the recovered materials have been taken into case records for further investigation and to probe his complicity in other terror crimes. People are requested to cooperate with the police till the area is completely sanitised and cleared off of all the explosive materials, if any," the police said.