Ex-SPO killed after abduction, 2 let off
Fayaz Bukhari
SRINAGAR, Nov 23: A top Lashkar-e-Toiba (LeT) commander, involved in the killing of veteran journalist, Syed Shujaat Bukhari, was among six militants killed in a gun battle in South Kashmir district of Anantnag today while tonight a former Special Police Officer (SPO) was killed after abduction by militants.
The security forces based on a credible input about the presence of militants cordoned off and launched a joint operation against militants hiding inside a tin shed in an orchard in Sekipora village at Bijbehara. Click here to watch video
As the searches were going on, the militants fired upon the search party. Troops retaliated leading to a gunfight. Six militants were killed in a brief gun battle and their bodies were retrieved from the site of encounter along with 4 AK 47 rifles and one Insas rifle.
The killed militants have been identified as Azad Ahmad Malik of Arwani Bijbehara, Unais Shafi of Takiya Maqbool Shah Bijbehara, Basit Ishtiyaq of Pushwara Anantnag, Atif Najar of Waghama Bijbehara, Firdous Ahmad of Muchpuna, Pulwama and Shahid Bashir of Kawni, Awantipora.
It was a combined group of HM and LeT as Unais Shafi and Basit Ishtiyaq as per police records were with HM and Unais was the district commander of Anantnag district, while the others were with LeT outfit.
Police said that Azad Ahmad Malik alias Azad Dada, who was district commander of LeT Anantnag was involved in the killing of senior journalist and editor of Rising Kashmir, Syed Shujaat Bukhari. “Azad was a close associate of absconding accused Naveed Jatt”, Police said.
“Azad Dada among several other terror offences had also figured in the case FIR No: 51/2018 PS Kothi Bagh pertaining to the assassination of journalist Shujaat Bukhari and his security personnel. In the aforementioned case which is under investigation, a hue and cry notice was issued against the said individual along with three others on the basis of material evidence collected”, Police said.
It added that Azad had escaped from an encounter site at Khudwani, Kulgam in April 2018 along with one more associate.
“All of them were wanted by the law for their complicity in a series of terror crimes including attack on security establishments and civilian atrocities”, police said.
Police said Unais Shafi and Basit Ishtiyaq were involved in several grenade lobbing and firing incidents. “Firdous Ahmad known as district commander of Pulwama for LeT had a long history of terror crime records including cases and the prominent among them include FIR No 16/2018, FIR No 131/2018, FIR No 139/2018, FIR No 284/2018 registered at PS Pulwama and FIR No 37/2018 at PS Rajpora. Similarly Shahid was also involved in terror related crimes as well”, he said.
Police said huge quantity of arms and ammunition including 4 AK 47 rifles and one Insas rifle were recovered from the site of encounter. “All these materials have been taken in the case records for further investigation and probe their complicity in other terror cases”, it said.
“Citizens are once again requested not to venture inside the encounter zone since such an area can prove dangerous due to stray explosive materials. People are requested to cooperate with police till the area is completely sanitized and cleared of all the explosives materials, if any”, police added.
The killed militants were buried in their respective ancestral graveyards while at least 15 persons were injured in clashes with security forces in parts of Anantnag and Pulwama districts of South Kashmir.
The stone pelting clashes erupted at Bijbehara, SK Colony Anantnag, Pulwama, Saraf Kadal and Nowhatta following the killing of six militants in a gunfight with security forces at Bijbehara, Anantnag.
Police and paramilitary forces deployed in strength in these areas used tear smoke shells, pellets and some live ammunition to disperse the protesters.
At Bijbehara, a youth Umer Nazir, 22, received bullet injuries in his right arm. He was immediately taken to a nearby hospital wherefrom he was referred to Bones and Joints hospital, Barzulla, Srinagar.
Parts of Anantnag including Bijbehara and Pulwama shut down spontaneously to mourn the death of the militants.
Following the killing, authorities snapped internet services in Bijbehara, Anantnag and Pulwama as part of established norms by authorities in the State. Train services to and fro South Kashmir was suspended.
And militants this evening abducted three men from South Kashmir’s Shopian district and later let off two of them.
Sources said that militants this evening abducted three men, a former Special Police Officer (SPO) Basharat Ahmad Wagay, Zahid Ahmad Wagay and Reyaz Ahmad Wagay, all residents of Reban village of Zainapora.
Two of them Zahid Ahmad Wagay and Reyaz Ahmad Wagay were let off while Basharat Ahmad Wagay was killed. His dead body was recovered near Aglar village.
Police this evening arrested two persons Tariq Ahmad Khan and Mohammad Harris Khan near Tourist Reception Centre Srinagar.
They were wisked away by Special Operations Group of police and a grenade and a pistol were recovered from them. They were believed to be affiliated with the Zakir Musa group.
Militants today hurled a grenade at the residence of Senior Congress leader Surinder Singh Channi’s house at Monghama village of Tral area in Pulwama district. However, no loss of life or damage was reported in the attack.
A civilian was critically injured in a firing incident at Chittergam area of Central Kashmir’s Budgam district this evening.
A civilian Ishfaq Ahmad Ganie son of Nazir Ahmad Ganie of Magraypora, Budgam was injured near an Army camp at Chittergam in district Budgam.
He suffered multiple wounds and was taken to nearby hospital where from he was taken to SMHS for advanced treatment.
Defence spokesman Rajesh Kalia said that Ishfaq Ahmad Ganie of Magraypora was shot at by the militants, 500-600 metres away from Army Camp at Chittergam. When the Army heard sound of firing, the Quick Reaction Team immediately rushed towards the direction of fire to find out what was happening.”
When the party reached the spot, they saw Ishfaq in a pool of blood. He had bullet injuries, one in head and the other in leg and was immediately taken to Chittergam hospital from where doctors shifted him to SMHS hospital.
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