2 militants trapped, encounter on
Fayaz Bukhari
Srinagar, Apr 21: Security forces today achieved a major success by killing a top Lashkar-e-Toiba (LeT) commander and his two associates in Baramulla district of North Kashmir while two more militants are still trapped inside the cordon and gun battle is on.
Inspector General of Police Kashmir, Vijay Kumar, described the killing of LeT commander, Yousuf Kantroo, as a major success as he was involved in dozens of killings and was one of the most wanted militants in Kashmir. He said that three militants have been killed in the ongoing encounter so far.
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Acting on specific information, a special team of Budgam Police along with 62 RR of Army launched a joint cordon and search operation in Malwah area of Baramulla early today.
As the security forces reached the suspected spot, the hiding militants fired indiscriminately upon troops in which four soldiers including one officer were injured. The fire was retaliated leading to an encounter.
Later, Baramulla police headed by SSP Baramulla also joined the operation and one policeman from Baramulla district was also injured in encounter who was later shifted to Army’s base hospital in Srinagar.
Three militants of the LeT were killed in the gun battle including commander Yousuf Kantroo, one of longest surviving militants.
An 18-year-old militant Faisal Hafiz Dar of Aripanthan in district Budgam is also trapped inside the cordon and his family has been brought to the encounter site to persuade the teenager to surrender.
Kantroo was an OGW of HM outfit and was arrested in the year 2005. Later, he was released in 2008 but he again joined militancy in 2017 and started killing civilians, policemen and political workers. Later, he switched from HM to the LeT.
As per police records, Kantroo was involved in dozens of civilian and security personnel’s killings including that of SPO Mohamad Ishfaq Dar and his brother Umer Ahmad Dar, resident of Chatabugh Budgam last month, killing of BDC Chairman Sardar Bhupinder Singh in 2020 in his own native place in Khag, killing of NC block president at Natipora Chanapora Srinagar, killing of Tajamul Mohidin Dar resident of Guttapora Budgam last month, killing of Gulzar Ahmad of Lawaypora at Narbal, killing of Tanveer Zargar of Chewa at Narbal, killing of Nazir Ahmad Dar (an employee of Health department), resident of Warihama at Warihama, killing of Sarpanch Manzoor Ahmad of Pattan.
“Besides, he was also involved in grenade throwing incidents, abduction and killing of police and security force personnel including killing of CRPF personnel HC Riyaz Ahmad Rather resident of Nawgam Anantnag at Kanihama by lobbing Grenade on deployment on 23.12.2017, abduction and killing of constable Mohammad Ashraf Rather alias Ishfaq resident of Archanderhama Magam, abduction and killing of Army Personnel Mohammad Sameer Malla resident of Lokipora Khag last month, killing of SPO Mohammad Altaf during an encounter at Peth-Zanigam, killing of one ex-SPO Naseer Ahmad Khan resident of Buchipora Kawoosa Khalisa. Moreover, he was also involved in snatching 4 AK rifles from the residence of Legislature Muzafar Parray at J-13 Jawahar Nagar Rajbagh. Furthermore, on his directions militant Abrar Nadeem carried out an attack on CRPF at Lawaypora Srinagar killing 3 CRPF personnel attained last year”, police records suggested.
He was also involved in recruiting youth into militancy folds. “Incriminating materials, arms and ammunition were recovered from the site of encounter. All the recovered materials have been taken into case records for further investigation”, police said.
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