Fayaz Bukhari
Srinagar, Nov 27: Lashkar-e-Toiba (LeT) commander and Deputy of Zakir Musa group were among three militants and a soldier killed in two separate gun battles in South Kashmir’s Kulgam and Pulwama districts today.
Army’s 1RR, 163 batallion of Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) and Special Operations Group (SOG) of Police launched a cordon and search Operation in Redwani area of Qoimoh in Kulgam district after receiving a specific input about the presence of militants.
As the security forces intensified searches, militants hiding in the house fired upon security forces triggering a gunfight. In the initial exchange of fire, a soldier of 1-RR sustained injuries. He was evacuated to the hospital where he succumbed. Besides, two CRPF personnel were also injured in the encounter.
Two militants of Lashkar-e-Toiba including a district commander were killed in the encounter. They have been identified as Ajaz Ahmad Makroo son of late Ghulam Rasool Makroo, resident of Qoimoh and Waris Ahmad Malik son of Bashir Ahmad, resident of Arwani.
Ajaz Makroo, as per police records, was a militant since 2017 and became district commander after the last week’s killing of Azad Dada. He was a close associate of militant commanders of LeT Naveed Jat and Azad Dada. Police said several cases were registered against him and the prominent among them include FIR No. 60/2016, FIR No. 45/2017, FIR No. 100/2017, FIR No. 10/2018, FIR No. 13/2018 registered at Police Station Kulgam. “Similarly, Waris also figured in several militancy cases”, police said.
Another militant, the deputy chief of Zakir Musa led group Ansar-Ul-Ghazwatul Hind was killed in an encounter in Hafoo Reshipora, Tral in South Kashmir’s Pulwama district this morning.
Army’s 42RR, 180 battalion of CRPF and SOG launched a cordon and search operation in Hafoo Reshipora area Tral in district Pulwama after a specific input about the presence of militants in the area.
As the joint team of forces intensified searches towards suspected spot, the hiding militants fired upon security forces triggering an encounter in which one militant was killed.
He has been identified as Shakir Hassan Dar son of Ghulam Hassan Dar, resident of Rathsuna, Tral, belonging to Zakir Musa led group Ansar-Ul-Ghazwatul Hind. He was deputy of Zakir Musa.
Police said Shakir was wanted in series of militancy incidents including attacks on security establishments and civilian atrocities.
Police has separately registered a case in both encounters. “Huge quantity of arms and ammunition including rifles were recovered from the encounter sites at Tral and Kulgam. All these materials have been taken in the case records for further investigation and probe their complicity in other militancy cases”, police said.
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