RAJWAR (KASHMIR), APRIL 27: For the first time in the Valley, a US-made gun has been recovered from militants killed in an encounter three days ago. While militants have been known to use Chinese, Russian and Japanese weapons in the state, security forces had never recovered one of US origin.

The gun — its butt burnt — has markings of Colt’s Firearms, Colt Industries, Hartford, USA, etched on its body, right above the trigger. The black plastic magazine, recovered intact, has markings of THERMOLD D.&D INC WILSON, N.C., USA.

The police said the gun has 22 rounds of slim but long bullets in its magazine, and is probably an SMG (submachine gun). Deputy Inspector General, Baramulla range, B Srinivasan said that they suspected that the gun was a used Pakistani army weapon.

“Whenever the militants opened fire, there was an unusually loud bang. It was as if they were firing a rocket,” Superintendent of Police, Handwara, Haseeb Mughal told The Indian Express.

The encounter took place on April 24 at village Shatigam in Rajwar, 15 km from Handwara. J-K Police and troops of the 21 Rashtriya Rifles had surrounded a house in the village where two militants were suspected to be hiding.

While the militants, Ghulam Mohideen and Mohammad Ramzan Reshi, were killed in the encounter, the house was destroyed. It was while going through the debris that the security forces recovered the gun.