Two LeT militants killed amid DDC elections in J&K's Poonch district

A gun fight broke out between Lashkar-e-Taiba militants and security forces and the police on Sunday (December 13) during the sixth phase of polling for DDC elections in Jammu and Kashmir’s Poonch. The two militants were identified as Sajid and Bilal, Inspector General of Police for Jammu zone, Mukesh Singh, said. Both the militants were from Pakistan, he said. 

Two AK 47 rifles, one UBGL, and one Thuraya Satphone were recovered from their possession. 

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According to sources in the security forces, all three militants had entered Poonch from Pakistan-occupied Kashmir three days ago and were on their way to Shopian. The militants were being closely watched by security personnel since December 11.

The gun fight occurred in Duran Poshana area along the Mughal Road, which connects Poonch district with Shopian. “Following inputs, the police and security forces reached the spot where the militants were on Friday, but could not launch an operation due to snowfall,” an officer said.

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“On Sunday afternoon, another move was made, which resulted in the contact,” he said, adding an offer of surrender was made to the militants, but they opened fire on the cordon team, which led to the encounter.

The overall voter turnout in the sixth phase of the DDC polls was approximately 51.51 per cent, with Kashmir registering a voter turnout of 31.55 per cent and Jammu 68.56 per cent, according to the Cheif Election Officer of the Union Territory. Poonch recorded 76.78 per cent voter turnout and Ganderbal, with 58.45 per cent, recorded the highest polling percentage in the valley. Shopian and Pulwama reported relatively lower voter turnout at 4.60 per cent and 8.16 per cent, respectively.