Militant killed in Pulwama, another flees

Security forces in action during encounter with militants at Kakapora in Pulwama district on Saturday. -Excelsior/ Younis Khaliq
Security forces in action during encounter with militants at Kakapora in Pulwama district on Saturday. -Excelsior/ Younis Khaliq

Excelsior Correspondent
Srinagar, Nov 19:  A local Lashkar-e-Toiba (LeT) militant was killed in an encounter in Kakapora area of South Kashmir’s Pulwama district this evening while his accomplice fled.
Sources said that acting on a specific input, Police and Army’s 50 RR had laid an ambush in Begumbagh village of Kakapora in district Pulwama on a link road. Two militants came on a motor cycle and on seeing the Army and Police, they tried to flee during which one militant was killed.
Sources said that one militant Majid was driving the bike and anther one Rayees Ahmad Dar was his pillion rider. When Majid noticed the security forces’ ambush, he made a quick U-turn and Rayees fell of the motor cycle and was killed in a brief gun battle. One AK-47 rifle and magazines were recovered from him. Majid also left the bike a short distance from the encounter site and fled away on foot.
Security forces immediately cordoned off the area but the militant had managed to flee from the area. The operation was later called off.
Rayees had joined the militancy a month ago. The killing of the militant triggered massive protests and clashes in Kakapora and several areas of Pulwama district as youth came out on the streets and pelted stones on security forces and vehicles plying on roads.
The stone pelting was reported from Gadoora, Newa, Pahoo, Kakapora, Pinglina and Hassanwani areas of the district. The protesters at these places targeted scores of vehicles that were plying through these areas.
Deputy Inspector General of Police, South Kashmir, Nitesh Kumar told Excelsior that Rayees was a local newly-recruited militant. He urged the local militants to lay down arms before security forces and said that they will be rehabilitated.
Kumar said that he has directed all district SPs and SSPs of South Kashmir to open a special cell for the surrender and rehabilitation of local militants in their districts. He appealed all the local militants especially those who joined recently to surrender before the police.
The DIG said that the militants who surrender would be rehabilitated so that they earn their livelihood. He said that they have tied up with some NGOs who will provide vocational training to the surrendered militants. He said that there are 84 local militants in South Kashmir.

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