Militant captured alive during encounter in Budgam, operation over

SRINAGAR:A militant was captured alive during an encounter which ensued on Friday after security forces launched a Cordon and Search Operation (CASO) in central Kashmir district of Budgam.

Official sources said that following specific information, troops of Rashtriya Rifles, (RR), Special Operation Group (SOG) of Jammu and Kashmir police and CRPF launched a joint CASO early this morning at Chadoora in Budgam.

However, they said when the security forces launched house to house search, militants hiding there, opened fire. “Security forces retaliated ensuing in an encounter,” they said.

They said a militant, identified as Jahangir Ahmad Bhat, was captured alive during the encounter alongwith an AK-47 rifle. “Bhat had recently joined militant ranks. He was an associate of Special Police Officer (SPO) Altaf Hassan, who recently fled from an SOG camp in Chadoora with two AK-47 rifles,” they said, adding the operation has been called off.

About half-a-dozen militants have been captured alive during encounters by security forces this year so far while 180 ultras have been killed in different operations across the valley in 2020. (AGENCIES)