Army says troops retaliated in self defence in Shopian

Srinagar, Mar 5: Two militants of Lashker-e-Toiba (LeT) besides four others accompanying them, were killed in self defence retaliatory firing by troops in south Kashmir district of Shopian on Sunday evening, a defence ministry spokesman said here on Monday afternoon.
Giving details about the incident he said at 1900 hrs an Army Mobile Vehicle Check Post  (MVCP) was deployed along road Trenz- Pinzoora near village Pohanu in Shopian on Sunday.  
However, at around 2000 hrs, two speeding vehicles were seen approaching the MVCP location from the direction of village Trenz. The troops deployed, signaled the vehicles to stop, he said adding however both the vehicles continued to move.  At this point, when a search light was flashed towards the approaching vehicles, heavy firing came from both the vehicles.  Own troops, in self defence, responded the same with fire. In the ensuing gun fight, one militant firing from one of the vehicles was hit and he fell off the vehicle and the vehicle veered off the road towards the nala and the second vehicle sped off.
Later during the search, the body of a militant was recovered, who was identified as Amir Ahmad Malik, resident of village Harmen, Cat- C militant. He was part of banned LeT and was active since July 2017. War like stores including one AK-74, 3 magazines and 88 rounds were also recovered from the dead militant. Three more dead bodies were found in the vehicle during the search.  These individuals were accompanying the militant.
At around 0900 hrs today, body of another militant, identified as Ashiq Hussain Bhat, resident of Rakh Kapar, part of banned LeT, was found from apple orchards of village Saidpura, who is also linked with the same chain of events at village Pohanu.
However, police said body of another person was recovered in the area this morning, taking the toll to six. UNI