Srinagar: Four local militants affiliated with Jash-e-Mohammad and Lashker-e-Toiba were killed in two separate gunfights in Shopian district of south Kashmir on Wednesday, police said.
“At about 2005 hours (on October 4) , Police along with Army (44RR) and CRPF (14 battalion) launched a joint cordon and search operation in village Drach Keegam area of Shopian following an input regarding presence of (militants) in the area,” a police spokesperson said in a statement to GNS. As the joint search party proceeded towards the suspected spot, he said, the hiding militants fired indiscriminately upon the search party. The joint party, he said, retaliated, leading to an encounter.
In the ensuing encounter, he said, 3 local militants linked with JeM were killed. They have been identified as Zubair Maqbool Wani of Doompora Keegam, Jamsheed Ahmad Magray of Rajpora and Hanaan Bin Yaqoob alias Saqib of Kareemabad Pulwama.
As per police records, he said, all of them were “categorized” militants and were involved in several cases including attacks on Police and SFs. “Hanan Bin Yaqoob and Jamsheed were involved in recent killing of SPO Javed Dar on 2 October at Pinglana area of Pulwama. They were also involved in killing of an outside labourer from West Bengal in Gadoora.” Besides, he said, Jamshed was involved in Ratnipora attack where he shot and injured two outside labourers.
Meanwhile, he said, in another gunfight, a LET militant was killed. “In the wee hours, on a specific input regarding presence of (militant) at Moolu area of Shopian, police along with Army (44 RR) and CRPF (178 Bn) launched a joint cordon and search operation in the area,” he said in the statement to Global News Service, adding, “As the joint search party approached towards the suspected spot, the hiding (militant) fired indiscriminately which was effectively retaliated by the joint search party, resulting the elimination of the local (militant).” He has been identified as Arif Rashid Wani resident of Shirmal.
As per Police records, the spokesperson said said that Wani was a categorised militant linked with LeT. Wani, he said, was involved in several cases including attacks on Police and SFs.
“4 AK series rifles, 01 Pistol, 08 AK magazines, 04 Pistol magazines & other incriminating materials were recovered from both the encounter sites,” he added. (GNS)