Srinagar: Police on Saturday identified the militant killed in an encounter with government forces in south Kashmir’s Shopian district as Waseem Ahmad Khanday.
An official said that Khanday had joined Hizb-ul-Mujahideen over a month ago after snatching a rifle from the residence of Communist party leader Abdul Rehman Tukroo in the district.
He said that the encounter broke out after forces launched a search operation in Dobjan village – 60 kms from Srinagar – following inputs about presence of four militants there.
He said as the security forces moved to the target house, hiding militants resorted to firing in an attempt to break the cordon, triggering an encounter.
One militant was killed and a soldier injured, the official said, adding that the three militants managed to escape.
The deceased was a resident of Zarkan Kellar village of Shopian.
The official said that the weapon he had snatched was recovered from his possession.