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Srinagar, March 11 (IANS): The two terrorists killed in an encounter at Bijbehara in south Kashmir's Anantnag district on Thursday had refused to surrender before they were neutralised by the security forces, officials said.
The police said that based on specific inputs generated by Anantnag police regarding the presence of terrorists in the Kandipora Bijbehara area of Anantnag, a joint cordon and search operation was launched by the police, the army and the CRPF on Wednesday afternoon.
During the search operation, as the presence of the terrorists got ascertained, they were given the opportunity to surrender. However, they fired indiscriminately upon the joint search party, which was retaliated, leading to an encounter.
But due to darkness, the operation was suspended though the cordon remained intact through the night.
The police said that on Thursday morning, repeated announcements were again made for the hiding terrorists to surrender.
"But the terrorists fired on the joint search party which was retaliated, resulting in the elimination of the two hiding terrorists," the police said.
The slain terrorists have been identified as Adil Ahmad Bhat, a resident of Shithpora Bijbehara, and Zahid Ahmad Rather, a resident of Sirhama Anantnag, both affiliated to the proscribed terror outfit Jaish-e-Mohammed.
The police said that as per their records, both the killed terrorists were involved in several terror crime cases, including attacks on security forces and civilian atrocities.
The police added that incriminating materials including arms and ammunition were recovered from the site of the encounter. All the recovered materials have been taken into case records for further investigation and to probe their complicity in other terror crimes.
"The last rites of the slain terrorists shall be performed after conducting their medico-legal formalities and their nearest family members shall be allowed to participate in the last rites," the police said.