Fayaz Bukhari
SRINAGAR, June 6: The Jaish-e-Mohammad (JeM) militant outfit suffered a major blow in South Kashmir after their two top commanders were killed in an encounter that last for two days in South Kashmir district of Pulwama.
Deputy Inspector General of Police, South Kashmir, Vijay Kumar told Excelsior that Battalion commander of the JeM Mohammad Abbas Nengroo was killed in the encounter at around 11.30 a.m. today. He said that Nengroo alias Arif son of Nazir Ahmad Nengroo of village Hergam, Rajpora in district Pulwama was killed after a house in which he was hold in caught fire during encounter.
He said that the encounter started early in the morning at first light and during the night security forces had tightened the cordon around the village to prevent militant from fleeing from the cordoned area.
The fresh gun fight started at 4 a.m. and continued till 11:30 p.m. and during the day intermittent firing continued. Security forces after searching the debris of the house of Abdul Ahad Wani that was damaged in the encounter recovered the body of Nengroo at around 3 p.m.
Police said that before joining militancy actively, Nengroo was Over Ground Worker (OGW) of Pakistani militant Sajjad Afghani and Javed Ahmad Nengroo, who were killed few years ago.
The DIG said that Nengroo was involved in the killing of Assistant Sub-Inspector (ASI) Farooq Ahmad Sheikh in Rajpora Chowk in district Pulwama on May 10 and Mukhtiar Ahmad Ganie of Shankerpora, Pulwama.
Police said that both, Baba and Nengroo were also involved in the kidnappings of Muzaffar Nengroo and Hassan Nengroo, besides, firing at an elderly 70 years old relative of a Sarpanch Abdul Gani Digoo in June last year. “They were also involved in threatening of Panchs and Sarpanchs of the Pulwama and Budgam areas”, police said.
The gun battle in Ichgosa village of Pulwama in which two JeM commanders were killed started yesterday afternoon when militants opened fire on an army patrol of 44 Rashtriya Rifles injuring an army jawan.
Police, 44-RR and CRPF immediately launched an operation in village Ichgosa, Pulwama killing JeM Divisional Commander Altaf Baba alias Gazi Baba son of Ghulam Hassan Baba of Aglar Kandi Pulwama. His body that was recovered last evening was handed over to his family by the police today morning for last rites.
A police spokesman said Baba was involved in several militancy-related incidents including killing and kidnapping of civilians. “He was involved in the killing of civilians Nazir Ahmad Chopan and Mohammad Ahsan Wan in Kulgam district. He was also involved in abduction of local Shameem Ahmad Dar”, the spokesman said.
“Baba joined the JeM militant outfit in 2008. He was motivated by Sajad Afgani alias Ahsan Bhai of Pakistan to join militant ranks and Nengroo joined militancy in 2011,” the spokesman said.
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