January 03: Based on a credible input about the presence of terrorists in higher reaches of Tral in Awantipora, a cordon and search operation was launched today morning jointly by Police and security forces in the area.

As the searches were going on, the search party was fired upon by the terrorists. The fire was retaliated leading to a gunfight.

In the ensuing encounter, three terrorists were neutralized and the bodies were recovered from the site of encounter. The killed terrorists have been identified as Zubair Ahmad Bhat @Abu Huraira son of Bashir Ahmad Bhat resident of Chursoo Awantipora, Shakoor Ahmad Parray @Jaffar son of Ghulam Nabi Parray resident of Laribal Tral and Tawseef Ahmad Thoker @Abu Talha son of Ghulam Mohi-ud-deen Thoker resident of Chursoo Bunpora Awantipora.

All the three killed terrorists were wanted by law for their complicity in a series of terror crimes including attacks on security establishments and civilian atrocities. It was a combined group of JeM and HM and as per police records Zubair was affiliated with proscribed terror outfit JeM while Shakoor and Tawseef were affiliated with proscribed terror outfit HM.

Pertinently no collateral damage took place during the encounter.

Police has registered a case and initiated investigation in the matter. Incriminating materials including arms and ammunition were recovered from the site of encounter.

All these materials have been taken in case records for further investigation and probe their complicity in other terror cases.

Citizens are requested not to venture inside the encounter zone since such an area can prove dangerous due to stray explosive materials.

People are requested to cooperate with police till the area is completely sanitized and cleared of all the explosive materials if any.