Four militants surrender in Kupwara after brief gun battle

Four newly recruited militants turned themselves in when security forces surrounded them when they were trying to cross over to Pakistan-occupied Kashmir in frontier Kupwara district.

While four militants surrendered, three others escaped after a brief gunfight at upper reaches of Kalaroos, about 90 km from Srinagar. The four had gone missing on Thursday.

Srinagar-based defence spokesman Col Rajesh Kalia said an operation was launched after a tip-off that four newly recruited militants were being guided by three Al-Badr men for exfiltration.

“The Army in a joint operation with the police laid an ambush and trapped the militants. After a brief gunfight, extreme restraint was exercised and an opportunity was given to the militants to surrender. While the four newly recruited militants surrendered, the three Al-Badr men deserted the new recruits and fled under cover of fire,” the spokesman said.