All six terrorist killed in Kulgam op were locals: Jammu and Kashmir Police

The six terrorists, police said, were named in several cases in Kulgam and neighbouring Shopian districts of Jammu and Kashmir

The six terrorists who were killed in two separate encounters in Kulgam district were identified as locals, with police saying the terrorists had been using sophisticated concrete hideouts in the Chanigam and Modergam villages for months.

Security forces recovered AK 47 Rifles, an IED from the terrorists’ hideouts in Jammu and Kashmir. (Waseem Andrabi/HT)

Apart from Ak 47 Rifles, a powerful Improvised Explosive Device (IED) was also recovered from the encounter spot at Chinniagam.

The six terrorists, police said, were named in several cases in Kulgam and neighbouring Shopian districts before terming the operation a big success for forces and a setback to Hizbul Mujahideen.

Commander 1 sector Rashtriya Rifles Brigadier Prathiv Raj Chauhan said they had received information about the presence of terrorists in the area for quite some time.

“We activated our sources and surveillance devices and kept this area under constant watch. On June 6, we got accurate information about their presence in Chanigam and around 3 pm the cordon was in place. An hour later, one of our jawans saw four people moving in pherans, which was unusual. It was suspicious given the hot weather. Our soldiers challenged them, which resulted in an encounter, during which one of our jawans lost his life. In the 24-hour long encounter, four terrorists were killed.”

HT graphics

Chauhan said four terrorists killed in the operation were identified as Yawar Bashir Dar, Zahid Dar, Shakeel Wani and Touqeer Ahmad Rather, Adding, “We also recovered a six kg IED which was detonated on the spot.”

Two soldiers, including a para commando, were also killed in the operation, which was one of the biggest in Kashmir this year.

Deputy inspector general of police (DIG) Javid Ahmad Mattoo said, “Two terrorists were killed in an operation at Modergam. One was identified as Adil who was an A category terrorist and involved in many cases in different police stations,” he said, adding that the other four terrorists were killed in the second operation at Chanigam.

The DIG said terrorists were using sophisticated hideouts in both cases. “In Chanigam, Yawar Dar had constructed an underground hideout in his own house and terrorists had been using that for months. At another place, a mason, Mushtaq Ali, had constructed a hideout in his house, which was concealed behind a big wardrobe,” he said, adding that both the hideouts were concrete and had been in use for months.