One among 4 killed in Shopian is LeT militant: Police

Fayaz Bukhari
SRINAGAR, Sept 9: The Jammu and Kashmir Police today said that one among the four persons killed in Shopian on Saturday was a Lashkar-e-Toiba militant while three others don’t have any past militancy record.
Army this evening claimed that they in a joint operation with police arrested Lashkar-e-Toiba’s chief coordinator for Kashmir Division from Pattan area of North Kashmir’s Baramulla district. An Army patrol was fired at by militants in Zaloora in district Baramulla tonight. Army has launched an operation now against the militants who fired at the patrol.
The Army official said that acting on a specific information regarding the presence of a top LeT militant inside a local tea stall at Pattan area, Army’s 29 RR and SOG cordoned off the tea stall.
The officer said that the militant was overpowered and detained by the joint team. He was identified as Manzoor Bai  alias Shams Bai son of Anatullah Khan of Shatpora area of Halmatpora in Kupwara. A Chinese pistol along with a magazine and six rounds were recovered from his possession”, he added.
A Police spokesman said here that out of four persons killed in Shopian on Saturday in CRPF firing, three have been identified as Tawseef Ahmad Bhat resident of Baba Mohalla Shopian, Mohammad Yousf Sofi resident of Durpora, Zainapora, Shopian and Tariq Ahmad Mir resident of Okay, Kulgam.
“These three do not have any previous record of militancy. The fourth non-local looking person has neither been claimed nor identified by any local”, the spokesman said.
The spokesman said that the evidence collected from the spot and subsequent verifications suggest that the fourth one is Abdullah Haroon of LeT. “One pistol, two grenades and a diary were recovered from the spot”, he added.
The spokesman said that besides, the mobile phone recovered from his pocket contains a video clip showing weapons snatched from police and CRPF personnel in the incidents of Arwani and Awnera Shopian. “Further the mobile phone has Dialer/SKIPE software which is available with Lashkar commanders”, the spokesman added.
In the meantime curfew remained in force for the second day today in parts of Shopian district in south Kashmir following killing of four persons in a firing incident on Saturday.
A police spokesman said that the curfew remains in force in parts of Shopian district as a precautionary measure. “Prohibitory orders, however, have been lifted from nearby Kulgam town following improvement in the law and order situation”, the spokesman added.
Curfew was imposed in police station areas of Shopian, Zainapora and Kulgam as a precautionary measure yesterday after four persons were killed in firing by CRPF personnel on Saturday after their camp was attacked.
Police and paramilitary CRPF were deployed in strength in the two districts to maintain law and order. Violent protests were witnessed in Shopian town and adjoining areas after the firing incident.
The chairman of Hurriyat Conference Syed Ali Geelani called for march to Shopian on Tuesday where a condolence meeting will be held and a protest demonstration will be organized against the killings of four youth.

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