Two militants killed in Sopore encounter

Srinagar/Bengaluru:Two militants were killed on Friday in an encounter with security forces in Sopore town of Indian-administered-Kashmir's Baramulla district, police said.
Security forces launched an anti-militancy operation in Bomai area of Sopore on Friday morning following information about presence of militants in the area, a police official said.
He said militants opened fire on the advancing security forces, who retaliated. In the ensuing gunfight, two militants were killed, the official said. As soon as the operation ended, local residents started pelting stones at the security forces, he said, adding the clashes were going on till reports last came in.
The success for the security forces comes a day after four militants were killed in an anti-infiltration operation in Tangdhar sector of Kupwara district near the Line of Control. One soldier also laid down his life in that operation.
Defence Minister Manohar Parikkar on Friday said the increased number of terrorist encounters show that the country's intelligence has "increased" and counter terrorist network is "tightening". "More encounters means - we are neutralising more, our intelligence has increased, our counter terrorist network is now tightening up," he told reporters here.
He said, "If you see the ratio of security forces martyrdom... To terrorists deaths (it) is now in the favour of the security forces at the rate of 1:4.3/4.4." The number of terrorists' neutralised was more than 50 now, whereas only 12 security forces personnel had lost their lives. Stating that the loss of security forces should further reduce, he said "our efforts are towards it."
Parrikar was responding to a question on whether the increased number of terror encounters was because of increased vigil or more attempts of infiltration. The Defence Minister was here to witness the inaugural flight of India's indigenous basic trainer aircraft, Hindustan Turbo Trainer-40 (HTT-40) designed and developed by HAL here. Pointing out that most incidents of terror infiltration and encounters take place before winter, Parikkar said either they were not noted earlier or probably they were not taken "very seriously".