Tuesday 12th May, 2026
Top JeM commander among 2 militants killed in Anantnag encounter
Srinagar, Jul 30: A top Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM) commander was among two militants killed in an encounter security forces in south Kashmir district of Anantnag on Tuesday.
Official sources said following specific information about presence of militants, a joint Cordon and Search Operation (CASO) was launched by Special Operations Group (SOG) of state police, Army and CRPF in village Katoo, Bijbehara in Anantnag on Tuesday.
However, they said when security forces were moving towards a particular area, militants hiding there fired at them with automatic weapons.
“The security forces retaliated ensuing in an encounter,” they said, adding two militants were killed in the exchange of fire.
They said that bodies of both the militants have been recovered. “Incriminating material, including arms and ammunition, was recovered from the encounter site,” they added.
They said one of the slain militant has been reportedly identified as top JeM commander Fayaz Panzoo. “The slain militant was involved in an attack on security forces in Anantnag town on June 12, 2019 that left six personnel, including a police officer and five CRPF jawans, dead,” they said.
They said with the efforts of police and security forces, it was a clean operation and no collateral damage took place during the exchange of fire. “Citizens are requested not to venture inside the encounter zone since such an area can prove dangerous due to stray explosive materials. People are requested to cooperate with police till the area is completely sanitized and cleared of all the explosive materials if any,” they added.