Security forces ready to deal with Taliban in Kashmir: IGP
Fayaz Bukhari
Srinagar, Aug 21 Three militants of Jaish-e-Mohammad (JeM) including Wakeel Shah who was involved in the killing of Bhartiya Janta Party (BJP) leader Rakesh Pandita earlier this year were killed in an encounter in Tral area of South Kashmir today.
Acting on a specific input by police regarding presence of a group of JeM militants in the upper reaches of forest area of Nagaberan Dhoka area of Tral in Pulwama district, a joint operation was launched by Police and 42-RR of Army.
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The militants when trapped fired on the troops leading to a gun battle in which all the three militants of the JeM were killed.
One of them has been identified as Wakeel Ahmad Shah, son of Muzaffar Ahmad Shah resident of Bagandar Tral. He was one of the top 10 most wanted militants in Kashmir and the list was recently issued by police. The other two have been identified as Abdul Hamid Chopan and Illyas Najar of Khellan Pulwama.
The GOC Victor Force Major General Rashim Bali along with Inspector General of Police (IGP) Kashmir Vijay Kumar while addressing a press conference at Victor Force headquarters in Awantipora said today that yesterday, Army along with police launched a search operation in Tarsar-Marsar area of Tral in Pulwama district.
“Today morning, a contact was established and three militants were killed in a close battle. The trio were active for a long time in South Kashmir”, he said.
He said that two AK-47 rifles, one SLR, magazines and a UBGL were recovered from the slain militants.
“Militants who are taking refuge in woods will be tracked down and killed,” he said.
The IGP identified one militant as Wakil Shah of Jaish-e-Mohammad who was involved in the killing of BJP leader Rakesh Pandita and an SPO.
He said that Wakil was one of the most wanted militants of JeM in police hit list.
Besides killing of Pandita, Wakil Shah was also involved in the killing of Shabir Ahmad Bhat resident of Noorabad Tral, Mohammad Ayoub Ahanger of Tral Payeen, Shakeela Begum resident of Dar Ganie Gund, SPO Fayaz Ahmad, his wife Raja Begum and daughter Rafia Jan at Hariparigam.
He was also involved in a series of firing, grenade lobbing attacks on Police and security forces including firing on security during cordon at Brenthal Tral and grenade lobbing at bus stand Tral.
The IGP said that in case any foreign element including Taliban enters Kashmir, the police, Army and other security forces are ready to deal with the challenge in a very professional manner.
He said police have activated human intelligence and technical intelligence as well to find out whether any foreign element including Taliban is planning to infiltrate into Kashmir.
“If at all any such thing happens, I as a police officer assure the people of Kashmir that police, Army and the other security forces will deal with the challenge professionally,” the IGP said.
Kumar said that there are inputs about some fresh infiltration bids and the information about the same is being gathered. “The militants killed in Bandipora recently had infiltrated this year only,” he said.
The IGP said that militants after killing civilians and politicians take refuge in woods and police and the army is activating human intelligence in the forest area also. “We will not just track militants in the hinterland only but in the woods also,” he said.
Kumar said it wasn’t for the first time that militants are targeting politicians but they have been getting killed since 1989.
“We can’t provide security to all of them but those facing threats and are vulnerable must approach us and we will provide them security cover,” he said. He added that in the recent killing of Apni Party leader Ghulam Rasool Lone, police has got a lead and the killers will be either arrested or killed.
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