Srinagar, Jan 27: The overnight military operation in Nowgam village of South Kashmir’s Shopian district was called off on Thursday morning as militants, believed to be two in number, managed to escape, official sources said.
They said that massive searches were launched at the first light today. However, no militant was found present following which the joint cordon-and-search-operation launched by police and army was called off.
A police officer said that the militants possibly escaped in the initial phase of the encounter in which “two soldiers” were “critically” injured. He said intelligence inputs suggested presence of two militants including a foreigner.
The encounter had ensued on Wednesday after Police and army launched the cordon and search operation amid information about the presence of the militants this evening.
As the joint team approached towards the suspected spot, the officials said, the hiding militants fired upon the forces, triggering off the gunfight, they said. Subsequently, reinforcements of army were rushed to the spot and ann entry and exit points were closed.
