Major success for security forces: IGP
Fayaz Bukhari
Srinagar, Mar 9: Inspector General of Police Kashmir range, Vijay Kumar today said that chief of Al-Badr militant outfit Abdul Gani Khawaja was killed in the fierce gunfight at Tujjar area of Sopore in North Kashmir’s Baramulla district.
“We have killed Al-Badr chief Gani Khawja in the encounter at Tujjar, Sopore,” the IGP Kashmir said. He added that the killing of Khawaja was a big success for the security forces.
Earlier, acting on a specific input about the presence of militants in Tujjar, joint team of security forces cordoned off the village.
“After zeroing in on the suspected spot, the hiding militant fired indiscriminately, triggering a gunfight. In the ensuing gunfight, a militant was killed,” police said.
The operation was over and searches were being conducted in the area.
Abdul Gani Khawaja son of Mukhtiyar Khawaja of Khawaja Mohalla Kralgund in Kupwara ex-filtrated to Pakistan occupied Kashmir in 2000 for arms training and returned in 2002. He remained active with Al-Badr outfit in Handwara area and its adjoining areas up to year 2007.
He was arrested by police in Baramulla in 2007 and released in 2008. After his release, he was involved in various stone pelting and other cases. He was detained under PSA in case FIR No.03/2008 of P/S Kralgund for stone pelting.
Police said that in 2018, he again joined Hizb and was presently operating in Qaziabad, Rafiabad and Sopore areas along with his associates. Police said that he was instigating the youth for radicalization and motivating them to join militancy in this area and execution of grenade attacks.
Police said that he was responsible for creating a strong OGW network in the area and is also the main threat to political workers, Panchs, Sarpanchs and peace loving people of the area.
Police said that he along with his one associate Furkan of LeT planted IED at Kralgund and also fired upon an Army operational party at Kachloo Qaziabad, in which one Army personnel was killed.
He was also well versed with modern approaches of communication with other conduits of the outfit via Social Media Apps. Police said that he was playing an instrumental role to furnish the anti-national designs and their execution on grounds in Handwara.
He along with other militants had intensified activities in Handwara after the abrogation of Articles 370 and 35A in 2019.
Nine FIRs were registered against him in different Police Stations of Jammu and Kashmir for subversive activities.
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