Militants on Saturday morning gave a slip to forces in Tangpawa village of Kokernag area in Anantnag district, during a cordon and search operation in the area.
According to official sources, joint forces belonging to 19 RR of Indian Army, Jammu Kashmir Police, 168 BN of CRPF had laid a siege midnight after receiving input about presence of a group of militants.
The authorities blocked the mobile internet services in Anantnag district, as soon as the cordon was laid.
“The CASO was launched at around 1 am on Saturday. A brief exchange of fire occurred between the hiding militants and forces in the wee hours. The militants, however, managed to escape from the area in the cover of darkness. The forces later intensified the searches in the area but nothing was found”, said a police source.
The operation was called off around 10 am and the forces again conducted searches near Hillar bridge, few kilometers away from this spot, but nothing was found here also.
Tangpawa area is the native village of a top Hizbul MUjahideen commander, Ashraf Khan, who has managed to give slip to forces on several occasions in the past.
*Ashraf had also received bullet in his shoulder last year in Larnoo area Kokernag but fled from the area during the cordon. Agencies
