Sign in

Two LeT militants killed in encounter in Srinagar’s Rainawari

Police on Wednesday claimed to have killed two LeT militants in an encounter in Srinagar’s Rainawari area.One of the militants before joining militancy was also running a news portal in south Kashmir

Updated on: Mar 31, 2022 3:20 AM IST
By , Srinagar
Share
Share via
  • facebook
  • twitter
  • linkedin
  • whatsapp
Copy link
  • copy link

The police on Wednesday claimed to have killed two militants in an encounter in city’s old city Rainawari area.

Women near the site of an encounter in which two LeT militants were killed, at Rainawari in Srinagar, on Wednesday. (PTI)
Women near the site of an encounter in which two LeT militants were killed, at Rainawari in Srinagar, on Wednesday. (PTI)

The militants killed in the operation were locals and hailed from south Kashmir and had joined militant ranks last year. One of the militants before joining militancy was also running a news portal in south Kashmir.

Inspector-general of police, Kashmir Vijay Kumar identified the militants as - Rayees Ahmad Bhat and Hilal Ahmad Rah, both residents of Bijbehara Anantnag who were linked to the LeT. “Based on specific input generated by police regarding the presence of terrorists in the Rainawari area of Srinagar, a joint cordon and search operation was launched by Srinagar Police and Valley QRT CRPF in the said area. During the search operation, as the search party proceeded towards the suspected spot, the hiding terrorists fired indiscriminately upon the search party which was retaliated effectively leading to an encounter. In the ensuing encounter, two terrorists were killed and their bodies were retrieved from the site of the encounter,” Kumar said.

Police said the killed persons were categorised militants and part of groups involved in several terror crime cases including attacks on police and civilians.

Kumar said that Rayees Bhat was a former journalist and was also involved in several killings at Bijbhera and Anantnag. “He (Bhat) came to Srinagar to hit the soft target. We got timely information and both the militants got killed. Two cases were registered against him.”

Police said that Bhat was running an online news portal ‘Valley News Service’ in Anantnag and joined militancy last year.

He also said the number of terrorists operating in Kashmir Valley has fallen as compared to the last many years and we are intensifying the operations to make the valley terror-free. “Now the number of terrorists has come down below 200. We are trying to bring it down further and forces are getting good support from people even parents are helping us with information and informing us about the missing of their children. We have brought many back.”

He said that the J&K police are trying hard to bring the misguided youth who have joined terrorist ranks back to their normal life with the help of their family members and respectable citizens.

This year so far 41 militants have been killed in different operations, including 10 foreign terrorists.

Police identify woman who threw petrol bomb at CRPF bunker

A day after a petrol bomb was hurled at the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) bunker in north Kashmir’s Sopore town, the police said the person behind the attack has been identified.

On Tuesday evening a woman after hurling a grenade towards the CRPF bunker escaped from the spot. No loss of life or property was caused in the incident. Soon after the petrol bomb attack, a video showing a burqa-clad woman hurling a grenade towards the CRPF bunker went viral on social media. In the video after the attack, CRPF jawans could be seen dousing the fire.

“A suspect clad in burqa threw a Molotov cocktail at the Morcha of a company of 179Bn, Sopore on March 29. The Molotov landed outside the perimeter. No injury or loss was caused in the attack,” a CRPF spokesman said. IG, Kashmir, Vijay Kumar said that the suspected woman has been identified. “The lady will be arrested soon,” he said.