Two local Jaish-e-Mohammad terrorists planning to target Army's Agniveer recruitment rally were killed in an encounter with security forces in Jammu and Kashmir's Baramulla district on Friday, the police said.
Speaking to reporters, senior superintendent of police, Baramulla, Rayees Bhat said security forces launched a cordon and search operation in the Yedipora area of Pattan early Friday after information was received from intelligence agencies about the presence of terrorists there.
"During the search, the terrorists opened fire and an encounter ensued. The operation went on for a long time and in the morning hours, two terrorists were killed," he said.
Bhat said the terrorists were planning to target the Army's Agniveer recruitment rally, which concluded in Pattan's Hyderbeig on Thursday.
"The information we have is that they (terrorists) had reached here to target the Army's Agniveer (recruitment) rally and they were planning to disturb the youth, who are trying to join the mainstream, and to make this rally unsuccessful. But we foiled their plans," he said.
The security forces recovered an AKS-74U rifle, three magazines, one pistol, one pistol magazine and two bullets from the encounter site, Bhat said.
"AKS-74U is a new version of AK-47, normally with the FTs (foreign terrorists), locally known as Karencov but actually called Kirinkov," he added.
Bhat appealed to the youth to not take the violent path.
Asked if the terrorists were trying to show their presence ahead of Union Home Minister Amit Shah's visit to Jammu and Kashmir, the SSP said the operation was successful because of an alert already issued by the security forces and the heightened security ahead of the high profile visit.
Shah was scheduled to visit Jammu and Kashmir from September 30 to address two mega rallies in Rajouri and Baramulla. His visit, however, was postponed to October 4.
A police spokesman identified the slain militants as Yawar Shafi Bhat, a resident of Kalampora Pulwama, and Aamir Hussain Bhat, a resident of Veshro Shopian.
"As per police records, both the killed terrorists were categorised terrorists and had recently joined terrorist ranks. Both were involved in terror crime cases including attacks on police/security forces and civilian atrocities," he said.
A case has been registered and further investigation is in progress, the spokesman said.
