Militant Body Recovered In Kashmir Shopian

The body of a suspected militant was recovered along with weapons in the Channapora area of Shopian on Tuesday, three days after a brief gunfight between security forces and militants in the village.

Police sources identified the deceased as Zakir, one of the two militants believed to have been hiding in the area when a joint team of the Jammu and Kashmir Police, Army and paramilitary forces launched a cordon and search operation on Saturday.

The operation was intensified over the following days as security forces maintained a tight cordon around the village’s orchards, where the militants were believed to be hiding.

Saturday’s encounter marked the first gunfight reported in the Kashmir Valley since October last year. The operation comes as the annual Amarnath Yatra is underway, with security forces on heightened alert across the region.

There was no official statement immediately on the recovery or on the status of the second suspected militant.

Bashaarat Masood is a Special Correspondent with The Indian Express. He has been covering Jammu and Kashmir, especially the conflict-ridden Kashmir valley, for two decades. Bashaarat joined The Indian Express after completing his Masters in Mass Communication and Journalism from the University in Kashmir. He has been writing on politics, conflict and development. Bashaarat was awarded with the Ramnath Goenka Excellence in Journalism Awards in 2012 for his stories on the Pathribal fake encounter. Expertise and Experience Two Decades of Frontline Reporting: Bashaarat has spent 20 years documenting the evolution of Kashmir, from high-intensity conflict and political shifts to socio-economic development. Award-Winning Investigative Journalism: He is a recipient of the prestigious Ramnath Goenka Excellence in Journalism Award (2012). This honor was bestowed for his reporting on the Pathribal fake encounter, a series of stories that highlighted his ability to handle sensitive human rights and security issues with investigative rigor. Specialized Beats: His authoritative coverage spans: Political Transitions: Tracking the shift from statehood to Union Territory, electoral dynamics, and the pulse of local governance. Security & Conflict: Providing nuanced reporting on counter-insurgency, civil liberties, and the impact of the conflict on the civilian population. Development: Documenting the infrastructure, healthcare, and educational landscape within the Valley. Academic Background: He holds a Masters in Mass Communication and Journalism from the University of Kashmir, providing him with a localized academic and professional foundation that is rare in regional reporting. ... Read More