Most wanted Kashmir ultra killed, 2 captured alive on way to PoK

Excelsior Correspondent

Two militants in custody of police at Sabjian in Poonch district on Monday. -Excelsior/Harbhajan
Two militants in custody of police at Sabjian in Poonch district on Monday. -Excelsior/Harbhajan

JAMMU, May 16: An ‘A’ grade and most wanted North Kashmir militant was killed and two others were captured alive by Army and police, who intercepted the trio in forward village of Chaprian close to the Line of Control (LoC) in Sabjian sector of Poonch district, this afternoon when they were trying to exfiltrate to Pakistan occupied Kashmir (PoK) for arms training.
Barring Rs 27,500 cash from the slain militants, no significant recoveries were made from their possession. All three militants hailed from Baramulla and Pulwama districts of the Kashmir valley.
Inspector General of Police, Jammu Zone, Danesh Rana told the Excelsior that the militant, who was killed while trying to escape, was `A’ category listed militant of Hizbul Mujahideen in North Kashmir’s Baramulla district.
He said police had specific inputs of exfiltration attempt and had intensified nakas in Sabjian sector of Poonch. He said it was being ascertained as to whether all three militants were going for training across LoC or the `A’ category militant had to return after handing over two others to some militants in PoK for training.
The ‘A’ category Hizbul Mujahideen militant identified as Bashir Ahmad Bhat, 35, son of Sonaullah Bhat R/o Panjpora, Baramulla was already a trained militant and there was possibility that he would have returned after facilitating exfiltration of two fresh recruits, who had also become the militants.
Rana said no arms and ammunition were recovered from either killed or captured militants.
Official sources told the Excelsior that body of the killed militant has been recovered while two others were being questioned jointly by Army and police to ascertain their motive behind exfiltration to Pakistan occupied Kashmir (PoK), the route taken by them to reach Sabjian from the Kashmir valley, the militants, who had persuaded them to go to PoK for arms training and the persons whom they had to contact after exfiltration to other side of the LoC.
DIG Rajouri-Poonch range Johnny Williams said every aspect is under investigations but definitely the trio was linked to militancy. They were trying to exfiltrate to PoK, he added.
As soon as the Army and police intercepted the militants at village Chaprian in Sabjian sector of Poonch district, one of the militants jumped from a hill with a view to escape and fell down into the Nullah. He died on spot. Security forces captured the two others.
The arrested militants have been identified as Mursaleem Rashid, 24, son of Abdul Rashid R/o Tral, Pulwama, a Computer Operator and Adil Ahmad Bhat, 22, son of Ghulam Hussain Bhat R/o Pinglan, Pulwama, a TATA Mobile driver.
Army and police recovered Rs 27,500 cash from the possession of Billal Ahmad Bhat, who was killed after he fell down into the gorge from the hill in Chaprian.
Security forces have recovered body of the slain militant from the gorge and shifted two others to a safer place, where they were being subjected to joint interrogation to ascertain their links with the militants and names of the militants, who had tasked them to go to PoK for arms training by crossing the LoC.
Sources said it was being believed that the militants had taken Mughal road from Shopian to reach Sabjian for crossing over to PoK. However, this was subject matter of investigations, which were being conducted jointly by Army and police.
Sources, however, confirmed that the militants had been persuaded by Hizbul Mujahideen terrorists to go to PoK for arms training with the assurance that all arrangements for their training have been made across the LoC and return to the Valley after completion of training.
According to sources, families of all three militants have been communicated about death of Billal Ahmad and arrest of two others. While body of Billal would be handed over to his family tomorrow, the family members of two arrested militants would be questioned to gather clues about them.
This was after a long time that any infiltration or exfiltration attempt was reported in Poonch sector by the militants.

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