Fayaz Bukhari
SRINAGAR, Oct 24: Militants tonight attacked house of Minister for Public Works and Parliamentary affairs, Abdul Rehman Veeri at village Veeri in Anantnag district of South Kashmir. However, his security guards repulsed the attack.
Militants fired at the security guards posted at the house of the Minister tonight. The security guards repulsed the attack by firing at the militants. The militants fled under the cover of darkness.
Senior Police and Army officers reached the spot and massive manhunt has been launched to trace out the militants behind the attack. Sources said that the reason behind the attack seems to be weapon snatching from security guards.
The Minister or any of his family members were not present in the house at the time of attack as they are living at official residence of the Minister in Srinagar.
In the meantime, security forces today killed Lashkar-e-Toiba (LeT) commander in North Kashmir’s Lolab area while four persons, who were planning to snatch weapons from security forces, were arrested from South Kashmir.
Army and Police today launched an operation in North Kashmir’s Kawari village in Varnow area of Lolab after they received information about presence of a militant commander of LeT in the area.
Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) Kupwara, Shamsher Hussain, told Excelsior that based on a specific information a joint cordon and search operation was launched by Special Operations Group (SOG) Lolab and 18 Rashtriya Rifles (RR) of Army in Kawari village of Lolab last night.
Hussain said that early in the morning during search of the area, security forces fired a teargas shell inside the house where militant was hiding to avoid any collateral damage. He said that the militant came out of the house and was engaged in a brief gun battle outside.
The SSP said that LeT commander has been identified as Abu Saad alias Shahid. He was affiliated with LeT and was active in Lolab for last three years. He said Saad was receiving infiltrated groups and later launching them to the hinterland. “He was also involved in instigating and pushing the youth of the area for stone pelting and anti-India protests”, he said.
Hussain said that the militant had also let loose reign of terror in the area by continuously terrorising the common masses. “The operation was meticulously planned and executed so as to avoid any collateral damage. The militant was compelled to come out of the house and was shot dead just few feet away from the house so as to avoid any damage to the house where he was hiding”, he said.
The SSP said that one AK rifle, three magazines, 89 AK rounds, one wireless set and one 1 Ikon was recovered from the encounter site.
In the meantime, police said that security forces today arrested four persons who were planning to snatch weapons from Police and security forces in Awantipora area of South Kashmir’s Pulwama district.
Police said that they had a specific input that a group of youths were being motivated by Hizbul Mujahideen commander, Zakir Rashid Bhat alias Mosa to snatch weapons from minority pickets or police in the area and to join the militant ranks.
Police said that they along with 42-Rashtriya Rifles (RR) of Army arrested Shakir Ahmad Khan, who during questioning disclosed the plan of weapon snatching.
Police said that they later arrested three more persons – Mohammad Asif Khan, Adil Ahmad Najar and Saqib Nazir Bhat – and during questioning they confessed that they hatched a conspiracy to snatch weapons from minority pickets or Police to join militant ranks.
Police have registered a case (FIR No.190/2016 under unlawful activities act) and are conducting investigations.
Deputy Inspector General of Police (DIG) Central Kashmir, Ghulam Hassan Bhat, told reporters here in Srinagar that security forces have to devised a strategy to prevent weapon snatching of police and security forces by militants. “We have taken steps against weapon snatching. They are targeting guards in inaccessible areas”, he said.
Bhat said in Dacchigam and Harwan areas of Srinagar, where security bunkers have surfaced on Foreshore road last week, has presence of militants.
He said that the attack on Shasastra Seem Bal was carried out by these militants early this month in which one SSB jawan was killed. He said that initial investigations reveal that two militants who carried out the attack were ferried on a bike through back lane. “We will identify the person who ferried them soon. The target was deployment convoy of security forces”, he added.
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