House owner to be booked, property attached: IGP
Excelsior Correspondent
Srinagar, Apr 10: Two foreign militants of Lashkar-e-Toiba (LeT) were killed in an encounter with security forces at Bishembar Nagar area of Srinagar today. They were involved in the recent attack on the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) in Maisuma area of Srinagar.
Speaking to reporters here, Inspector General of Police (IGP) Kashmir Vijay Kumar described the killings as a major success for the security forces in Srinagar. He said that police while acting on a lead sealed the suspected house in Bishembar Nagar area of Srinagar early this morning.
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“After closing in on the house where two militants were hiding, they lobbed a grenade and fired at the security forces in which two policemen and a CRPF personnel were injured,” the IGP said. He said that in the ensuing encounter, two hardcore LeT militants were killed.
He said that they were involved in a series of attacks, especially the one on April 4 in Srinagar in which one CRPF man was killed.
He said that legal action will be taken against the house owner where these two militants were hiding and the property will be seized.
Kumar said that the number of active militants was declining and that the anti-militancy operations will continue. “Militants whether locals or foreigners involved in attacking civilians, security forces personnel or journalists, will be taken to task,” he said.
A police spokesman said that at about 1050 hours, on specific input generated by Srinagar Police regarding presence of militants in Bhishembar Nagar area of Srinagar, a cordon and search operation was launched by Srinagar police and Valley QAT CRPF in the area. He said that in the initial exchange of fire, one militant was killed.
“Keeping in view the tourist movement and huge rush in the area, police and CRPF exercised maximum restraint and carried out operation in professional manner to avoid any civilian casualty. During the course of evacuation of civilians, the trapped militant hurled a grenade resulting in minor splinter injuries to three security men who were shifted to hospital for treatment of their injuries”, he said.
The spokesman said that the operation was resumed and in the ensuing encounter, another hiding militant was killed and their bodies were recovered from the site of encounter. He said that both the killed militants were Pakistani and identified as Mohammad Bhai alias Abu Qasim, alias Mir Shoaib alias Mudassir and Abu Arsalan alias Khalid alias Aadil.
As per police records, both of them were ‘A’ categorized and linked with LeT. Mohammad Bhai was active since 2019 while as Abu Arsalan was active since year 2021 in Central Kashmir.
They were involved in pistol-borne attacks and grenade throwing incidents at various places. They were also involved in an attack on CRPF personnel in Maisuma earlier this week in which one CRPF was killed and another injured.
Police said that they were carrying fake Adhaar Cards to conceal their identity.
“Incriminating materials, arms and ammunition were recovered from the site of encounter. All the recovered materials have been taken into case records for further investigation. In this regard, a case under relevant sections of law has been registered and investigation initiated. People are requested to cooperate with police till the area at encounter site is completely sanitized and cleared of all the explosive materials, if any,” the spokesman added.
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