Two local Hizbul Mujahideen militants killed in Pulwama encounter - police

Two local militants of the Hizbul Mujahideen have been killed in an overnight encounter with security forces in Jammu and Kashmir's Pulwama district, police said Tuesday. An anti-insurgency operation was launched in the Tral area of Pulwama on Monday night following a brief exchange of fire between the militants and the security forces, a police spokesperson said.

The official said in the ensuing gun battle that lasted nearly 12 hours, two local militants of the Hizbul Mujahideen outfit were killed. "The slain ultras have been identified as Adfar Fayaz Parray, resident of Gulshanpora in Tral, and Irfan Ahmad Rather, resident of Shariefabad in Tral," he said.

The spokesperson said arms, ammunition and other incriminating materials were recovered from the encounter site. He said a civilian, identified as Farooq Ahmad Malik, was hit by a stray bullet some distance from the encounter site, and added that Malik was undergoing treatment and his condition was stable.

(With inputs from agencies.)