Two Lashkar-e-Toiba militants and a teenage civilian were killed in an encounter in Pulwama district of Jammu Kashmir.

According to the reports, militants who were killed in the encounter have been identified as Jehangir Ahmad Ganaie, and Muhammad Shafat Shergujri. During the encounter police took the family members of Gujri to the encounter site and asked him to surrender. But he refused and vowed to continue to fight.

The deceased civilian has been identified as Amri Nazri of Beegambagh Pulwama. SP Vaid chief of J&K police confirmed that the two militants and a civilian were killed.

The shooting began at around 7:30 a.m. IST, when a team of 55 Rashtriya Rifles, the CRPF and the Special Operations Group of J&K police cordoned the Padgampora village of Awantipora, around 40 kms from Srinagar.

The Srinagar-Banihal train services have been suspended as the railroad passes near the encounter spot. Locals from villages started marching towards the encounter and clashes broke out at several spots.

Government forces are facing major problems, due to protests erupting at the encounter sites. In wake of these situations,  Army Chief Bipin Rawat stated that those who protests obstructing encounters, would be treated as ‘over ground workers of militants’ dealt with ‘harshly’ and army could go ‘helter-skelter.’ The statement was greatly criticized by the oppositions in J&K and Delhi.

Twenty-nine armymen, including 15 in snow avalanches and 26 militants have been killed this year, till now, according to official reports. While police figures claim that around 100 locals have joined militant ranks in 2016 and 59 among them joined after militant Burhan Wani was killed along with two other militants, on 8th July 2016. Last year, more than 60 weapons have been snatched from police and other government forces.

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