Security forces ends search operation at encounter site in Pulwama

Srinagar: The search operation near the encounter site in Pulwama district of south Kashmir concluded on Friday as the accomplices of the slain Lashkar-e-Toiba (LeT) militant managed to escape.

"The operation at Astan Mohalla in Kakapora area of Pulwama has been called off as no further recoveries were affected from the debris at the encounter site," a police official said.

LeT militant Talib Hussain Shah alias Umar was killed in the gunbattle on Thursday but security forces were looking for two more of his accomplices.

The official said a tight cordon around the area had been maintained overnight to prevent the militants from escaping if they were still inside the cordoned area.

A police spokesman said Shah was involved in a number of militancy-related activities.

"Shah was involved in firing incident at Pampore in which seven BSF personnel got injured. He was also involved in Galander attack in which two police personnel and one civilian got killed," the spokesman said.

He said Shah was also involved in the attack at Puchal in which one Head Constable of railway police was killed.

"The slain militant was involved in Pahu incident in which one CRPF man was killed and others including CRPF inspector and two civilians got injured," the spokesman said, adding a number of case were registered against Shah.