May 10: Based on specific input about presence of terrorists in Pandoshan, Shopian, a joint cordon & search operation was launched yesterday evening by Shopian police & Army in the said area.

As the joint team was establishing the cordon around the area, the hiding terrorists started indiscriminate firing upon the search party. In order to save the civilians present in the area, the joint team while exercising maximum restraint started evacuating them. However during evacuation process, the hiding terrorists targeted the civilians as well as the joint team in a bid to escape. Although, the civilians were evacuated to safer place however, due to heavy firing by terrorists, one soldier Lance Naik Sanjib Das and two civilians namely Shahid Gani Dar and Suhaib Ahmad received gunshot injuries.

All the injured were immediately airlifted to 92 Base Hospital, Srinagar for treatment However, civilian Shahid Gani Dar succumbed to his injuries while as the other injured civilian, Suhaib Ahmad and Lance Naik Sanjib Das are under treatment. After all medico-legal formalities dead body has been handed over to the family for last rite.

Taking advantage of the darkness & civilian presence, the terrorists managed to escape from the site of encounter. Efforts are on to track the terrorists. IGP Kashmir said that it has been observed in some encounters recently in Shopian, Kulgam and Anantnag districts that Pakistani terrorists started firing on civilians and security forces while laying initial cordon to escape from cordon. In some of such encounters terrorists managed to escape from cordon but we have lost precious lives of civilians and security forces. We are trying bring some change in our tactical SOPs.```