102 ultras killed in Kashmir this year: IGP
Excelsior Correspondent
SRINAGAR, Aug 24: A day after Chief of The Resistance Front (TRF), Abbas Sheikh, and his deputy were shot dead in Srinagar shoot out, security forces today killed three of its cadres in an overnight gun battle in Sopore area of North Kashmir’s Baramulla district.
Police said that, based on specific input regarding the presence of militants in Pethseer area of Sopore, a joint cordon and search operation was launched by Sopore Police, Army’s 52 RR and CRPF last night.
“During the search operation as the presence of militants got ascertained they were given opportunity to surrender, however, instead they fired indiscriminately upon the joint search party which was retaliated leading to an encounter”, the spokesman said.
However, due to darkness the operation was suspended, while the cordon was kept intact and it was strengthened to prevent militants from fleeing from the cordoned area.
“In the wee hours, repeated announcements were again made to the hiding militants to surrender, but they fired back which was retaliated in which three militants were killed”, he said.
They have been identified as Faisal Fayaz son of Fayaz Ahmad Thokar, resident of Kapren Shopian, Ghulam Mustafa Sheikh son of Abdul Ahad Sheikh resident of Tekipura Kupwara and Rameez Ahmad Ghanie son of Abdul Majeed Ghanie, resident of Zipor Dharamati, Shopian.
One AK 47 rifle and two pistols and ammunition were recovered from the site of encounter. Police has registered a case and investigation has been initiated.
As per police records, the killed militants were part of groups involved in several militancy related incidents including attacks on security establishments and civilians.
Inspector General of Police Kashmir Vijay Kumar said that Ghulam Mustafa Sheikh was initially a stone pelter from Lolab. “He joined Manan Wani group of Hizbul Mujahideen and later Abbas Sheikh. He was tasked to receive the crossed over groups and recruiting locals into militancy”, he said.
He said that 102 militants have been killed so far in Valley this year. “The collective efforts of Police, Army, CRPF and people of Kashmir have led to neutralisation of more than 100 militants in the current year so far in Kashmir division” he said.
Meanwhile, police today arrested six militant associates of Lashkar-e-Toiba and recovered incriminating material from their possession in Pathkoot area of North Kashmir’s Bandipora district.
A police spokesman said that acting on a specific input about anti- national activity in the general area of Bandipora, a Lashkar-e-Toiba module was busted by joint forces in which six militant associates have been arrested.
“Incriminating arms and ammunition have been recovered from their possession which includes two live hand grenades, two detonators,15 AK series rounds , two matrix sheets and other materials, ” he said.
He said that arrested militants have been identified as Muzaffar Mohiuddin Lone, Mohammad Amin Lone, Rizwan Qadir Lone, Imtiyaz Ahmad Lone, Javaid Ahmed Lone and Mohammad Saleem Khan.
“On preliminary enquiry, it was revealed that the accused were associated with militant outfit LeT and were providing shelter, logistics and other material support to active militants of LeT in Bandipora district,” police official said.
“In this regard Case FIR under relevant sections of law has been registered and further investigation has been taken up,” he said.
Meanwhile, security forces busted a militant hideout in the forest area of Aloosa Bandipora and seized arms, ammunition.
A Police official said that based on specific information, Army’s 26-Assam Rifles unit launched a cordon-and-search operation following which the hideout was found in Nagmarg forest area of Aloosa.
The official said that during searches a huge cache of arms and ammunition, including 10 UBGL rounds and two chinese grenades and other incriminating material.
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