‘Militants involved in killings of security men, civilians’
Fayaz Bukhari
Srinagar, Nov 25: Three top commanders were among six militants killed in a gun battle in Shopian district of South Kashmir during which a soldier was also killed and a protester died and 15 others were injured in the clashes that erupted in the area.
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Security forces including 34 RR of Army, SOG of Jammu and Kashmir Police and Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) last night on the basis of credible inputs about the presence of militants in Batagund area of Kapran in district Shopian launched an operation.
As the security forces conducted searches, they were fired upon by the hiding militants. The fire was retaliated, leading to a gunfight. Initially, a soldier of 34 RR of Army was injured in the exchange of fire. He was evacuated to the hospital and is stated to be stable now. However, another soldier Nazir Ahmad of 34 RR was grievously wounded in the encounter, who later succumbed to the injuries.
Six militants were killed in the encounter and incriminating materials including huge quantity of arms and ammunition were recovered from the site of encounter. Police has registered a case and initiated investigation in the matter.
The militants have been identified as Mushtaq Ahmad Mir alias Hammad alias Musha son of Ghulam Hassan Mir of Cheki-Cholan Shopian, Mohammad Abass Bhatt son of Abdul Jabbar Bhat of Cheki Mantribugh Shopian, Umar Majeed Ganaie alias Maaz alias Abu Hanzalla alias Abdul Rehman son of Abdul Majeed Ganaie of Souch Kulgam, Mohammad Waseem Wagay alias Saifullah son of Abdul Hameed Wagay of Amshipora, Khalid Farooq Malik alias Rafi alias Talha of Baghander Aliyalpora Shopian and a foreigner from Pakistan.
The militants belonged to Hizbul Mujahideen and Lashkar-e-Toiba (LeT). Police said Mushtaq Ahmad Mir alias Hammad was affiliated with LeT and was operating as district commander for Shopian while Mohammad Abaas, Waseem Wagay, Umar Majeed Ganai and Khalid were with Hizbul Mujahideen. Abass was district commander of HM for Shopian and Umar Majeed was operating as district commander of HM for Kulgam.
Police said that these militants were wanted in series of attacks on security forces, civilian killings and looting of banks in the area. “Mushtaq Ahmad Mir alias Hammad was active since 2014 and was a close associate of HM commander Zeenat-ul-Islam. He was involved in several terror attacks on security establishments and civilian killings”, police said.
“Mushtaq was involved in snatching of weapons from court complex Shopian in 2015 in which a police constable was critically injured, attack on police guard at Ramnagri Shopian in which a cop Nazir Ahmad was killed. He was also involved in threatening and creating panic among the general masses of Shopian. He was wanted in lobbing of grenade at Bonbazar Chowk Shopian on 11.10.2016 in which 8 civilians had sustained injuries”, police said.
Police said that Abass was earlier convicted for a murder (case FIR No. 82/2011 U/S 302 RPC PS Shopian) and was sentenced for 5 years. “After his release in April 2016, he re-joined militancy. He was involved in several killings including decapitating of 19 year young Huzaif Ashraf. He was also wanted in the killing of young Army officer trainee Lt Omar Fayaz, Advocate Imtiyaz Khan and four police personnel at Shopian in August this year and many other civilian killings in the area. He along with his other associates had barged inside the residential house of locals, ransacked their household goods and threatened the inmates”, police said.
Umer Majid Ganai, who had escaped from Batmaloo encounter and whose photo was recently circulated on social media showing his presence near Clock Tower, Lal Chowk had figured in the killings of several policemen and civilians in the area since 2016. “He was involved in Pombai Bank guard attack case in which 4 policemen and 2 banks guards were killed in 2017”, police said.
“Mohammad Waseem Wagay alias Saifullah was involved in several attacks on the security establishments in the area. He was part of a militant group involved in the killing of four police personnel in August this year at Shopian”, police said.
“Khalid Farooq was also involved in several attacks and killing of security forces and civilians in the area. And Pakistani militant killed in today was wanted in the gruesome killing of civilians in the area including the throat slitting video uploaded on social media”, police said.
A youth was killed and 15 others were injured during clashes that broke out between people and security forces soon after killing of militants.
Numan Ashraf a resident of Bolus Yaripora was critically injured during clashes after being hit by a bullet. He was rushed to a hospital. However, he died on the way. Numan was a student of 10th class.
Around 15 civilians were injured in clashes near the encounter site, four of them received bullet injuries. However, one Habla Jan, a minor girl has received pellet injuries in her eye.
Brigadier Sachin Malik, 2-sector RR of Army, said that Nazir Ahmad Wani who was killed in the operation was an outstanding soldier with an exceptional record of gallantry. “He has been twice awarded Sena medal for gallantry in action and his actions today were of a very high order of courage that he showed. He was from Kulgam and died today fighting for peace in Kashmir. “I cannot help contrasting his actions with the actions of psychopathic murderers who have killed young boys, cut their throats and put their videos out. We have lost a very good soldier today and we will always remember him”, he said.
He said that in last one month and a half, our operations have been extremely intense and we have been neutralizing a large number of militants. “We have been successful because of excellent intelligence that we are getting and the complete synergy between the Army, Police and CRPF”, he said.
He said that the killing of these militants is a setback “because we have eliminated their leadership and both organizations are now leader-less in Shopian”.
“In past two days, there have been two operations in which six terrorists each have been killed and we have killed a very large number of terrorists in past one month and a half. The number of terrorists we are now killing are much more than the number of people being recruited or joining terrorism. They cannot sustain the rate at which they are being eliminated”, said Brigadier Malik.
“It is a setback for recruitment. There has been a dip into the recruitment from past three months as compared to earlier this year or late last year”, he said.
The Army officer said that there are about 180 militants and 15 percent may be foreign militants.
A foreign militant of Jaish-e-Mohammad was killed and his local accomplice was arrested in Khrew area of South Kashmir’s Pulwama district today.
Security forces on a credible input about the presence of militants launched a search operation at Bathien area of Khrew in Awantipora area of Pulwama district.
As the searches were going on, the search party was fired upon by the militants. The fire was retaliated, leading to a brief exchange of gunfire. One militant was killed in the exchange of fire and another local Suhail Ahmad Lone was arrested.
Police said that incriminating materials including arms and ammunition like AK 47 rifle and magazines were recovered from the killed militant. From the incriminating material recovered, it is learnt that the killed militant is a Pakistani codenamed as Waseem. Police has registered a case in this regard and area is being searched.
And police said that on a specific input, Srinagar police busted the IS inspired module and arrested three militants from Srinagar with the assistance of Delhi Police.
At a naka checkpoint, a party of Srinagar Police intercepted a motorcycle borne militants who were moving through the Kothi Bagh area. Police acting swiftly apprehended the motorcyclist and the other two associates.
Arms and ammunition were recovered from the possession of the trio. They have been identified as Tahir Ahmad Khan resident of Chandrigam, Tral, Haris Mushtaq Khan, resident of Wathoora, Budgam and Asif Suhail Nadaf, resident of Rainawari, Srinagar.
Police has registered a case in PS Kothi Bagh under section 307 RPC, 16,18 ULA (P) Act read with 7/25 I.A. Act in this regard and further investigation in the matter is in progress.
Separatists comprising Syed Ali Shah Geelani, Mirwaiz Umar Farooq and Mohammad Yasin Malik today called for shutdown and protests for tomorrow against the killings during the week.
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