3 Lashkar militants killed in Anantnag, OGW held in Kupwara

Troops at the site of encounter at Vailoo, Anantnag on Tuesday. -Excelsior/Sajad Dar
Troops at the site of encounter at Vailoo, Anantnag on Tuesday. -Excelsior/Sajad Dar

Excelsior Correspondent

Srinagar, May 11 : Three militants of Lashkar-e Toiba were killed in an encounter in South Kashmir’s Anantnag district today while an Over Ground Worker of militants was arrested with ammunition in Kupwara.
Inspector General of Police Kashmir, Vijay Kumar told Excelsior that three local militants were killed in Vailoo area of Kokernag belt in South Kashmir’s Anantnag district during a joint operation launched by Police, Army’s 19 RR and CRPF on specific information about the presence of militants in the area.
He said that militants were repeatedly asked to surrender but they refused and were killed in the gun battle. He said that security forces rescued all the civilians trapped in the gunfire and halted the operation for till the evacuation of people from the area of gunfight.
Kumar congratulated police and security forces for conducting successful operation without any collateral damage. He appealed parents to bring their wards into mainstream.
He said that one of the militant Ubaid Shafi was involved in Aribagh militant attack which was carried out by LeT on the house of a BJP leader on April 1. “In that attack, a police man Rameez Ahmad was killed,” he added.
The other two have been identified as Ilyas Ahmad Dar alias Sameer, resident of Danwathpora Kokernag, Ubaid Shafi alias Abdullah , a resident of Batamaloo Srinagar and Aqib Ahmad Lone alias Sahil, resident of Khandaypora, Kulgam.
He said that as per police records, all the slain militants were linked with LeT and part of the groups involved in several crime cases including attacks on security forces and security establishments.
“Arms and ammunition including one AK-47 rifle, two pistols and incriminating materials have also been recovered from the site of encounter. All the recovered materials have been taken into case records for further investigation and to probe their complicity in other crimes,” Police said.
Security forces today arrested a militant associate along with warlike stores besides cash in a joint operation at Kralpora village in north Kashmir’s Kupwara district.
Police said that on the basis of specific information regarding the movement of ANEs, Kupwara Police along with 160 TA and 17 JAK Rif established Naka at Reshi Gund crossing of Village Kralpora.
“During search/ checking one person was found in suspicious condition who on seeing the search party tried to escape from the spot but was chased and apprehended by the search party,” Police said.
The police spokesman said that the apprehended person on preliminary questioning disclosed his identity as Abdul Ahad Lone son of Abdul Gani Lone of Gararayal, Kupwara.
“On his personal search Arms and Ammunitions including, 12 grenades 182 Rounds of AK-47 with cash Rs 169,500 were recovered from his possession”, the police spokesman said.
He said that in this context case FIR No. 30/2021 U/s 7/25 Arms Ac has been registered in Police Station Kralpora. Further investigation into the matter is under process, he added.