'Shopian encounter a huge success, all terrorists killed were IS-inspired'

The Shopian encounter was a huge success, security forces and police eliminated four Islamic State (IS) inspired terrorists, Director General of Police (DGP) Dilbagh Singh said on Sunday.

"This has been a very successful operation in which four terrorists have been neutralised. All four of them were IS-inspired terrorists commanded by Shaukat Ahmad Butt, who was earlier working with Hijb-ul-Mujahideen and since 2015 he had joined Ansar Ghazwat-ul-Hind (AGH)," Singh told here.

Earlier today, four terrorists were killed during an encounter which began in the early hours Sunday at Panzar area in Shopian district.

Singh added that all four terrorists killed were locals from either Pulwama or Shopian and were wanted in a large number of terror-related cases.

"They were wanted in a number of terror-related incidents, all of them were locals from Pulwama and Shopian. A large quantity of arms and ammunition and other incriminating information has been recovered from their possession," Singh said.

He added that all security arrangements for the Amarnath Yatra are in place and hoped the annual fair will pass peacefully again this year.

"For the Amarnath Yatra all required security arrangements have been put in place, we have deployed central armed forces and arrangements all along the routes have been made to ensure safety and security. We hope the Yatra will be conducted safely with the locals welcoming the visitors," he said.

( With inputs from ANI )