Over dozen injured in clashes
Fayaz Bukhari
SRINAGAR, July 17: A day after police arrested two militants involved in the killing of a shopkeeper, security forces today shot dead Lashkar-e-Toiba (LeT) militant who was mastermind of target killings in Baramulla and had prepared a hit list of 10 persons of the area.
A senior police officer said that Adnan Ahmad Channa was killed at village Mir-Mohalla Gund-Brath in Sopore area of North Kashmir’s Baramulla district today in a gun battle. He added that he was involved in the civilian killings in the area and had prepared a list of 10 civilians who were his target.
The officer said that these 10 persons were alerted by the police and they had been asked to be vigilant. He said that although the militant has been killed but the threat to these persons still looms large as his associates are still active in the area.
Security forces on the basis of specific input about presence of militants last night cordoned off village Mir-Mohalla Gund-Brath in Sopore area of North Kashmir’s Baramulla district. The operation was jointly launched by Sopore Police, Army 22-RR and CRPF.
As the searches were going on, the hiding militant fired indiscriminately on the search party which was retaliated triggering a fierce gun battle. The gun battle continued till this afternoon in which one local militant identified as Adnan Ahmad Channa son of Ali Mohammad Channa of Arampora, Baramulla, of LeT was killed.
One AK-56 rifle, three AK-magazines, 10 rounds of AK ammunition and two pouches were recovered from the encounter site.
Police said that Channa had joined the LeT in March this year and was involved in a series of subversive activities, civilian killings, attacks on security forces establishments in Baramulla and Sopore areas.
He was involved in a case (FIR No. 41/2019) of police station Baramulla, regarding killing of Arjuman Majeed Bhat son of Abdul Majeed Bhat of Khawaja-Bagh, Baramulla on March 30 this year. His accomplice, a foreign militant, already got killed at Malpora Watergam on April 19 this year.
Another case (FIR No. 33/2019 of Police Station Bomai) against him was regarding firing on one civilian Feroz Ahmad Gojjri son of Mohammad Subhan Gojjri of Zaloora, Sopore on May 28 this year.
Yet another case (FIR No. 232/2016 & 297/2016 of Police Station Baramulla) against him was pertained to stone pelting.
Police said that he was instrumental in luring the local gullible youths towards militancy in district Baramulla and police district Sopore areas.
Meanwhile, after conducting all legal medico formalities, the body of the militant was handed over to his family for last rites. A large number of people attended the funeral prayers of the slain at his native village.
Following the killing of the local militant, youth took to streets at Arampora, Baramulla and its adjoining parts and started pelting stones on police and paramilitary CRPF. Security forces deployed in the area charged batons on the protesters and fired tear smoke to disperse them. Atleast seven youth and several policemen including two police officers of SI ranks were injured in the clashes.
Authorities had snapped mobile internet services and suspended class work in Degree Colleges of Baramulla and Sopore. The decisions to block the internet and suspend class work were taken to maintain the law and order in these areas.
Follow our WhatsApp channel
