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Three suspected militants killed in gunfight with security forces in J&K
Their families, however, rebutted the claim of the security forces and said the youth killed in the encounter were civilians.
The security forces on Wednesday said three local militants were killed in an encounter at Lawaypora on the outskirts of the Srinagar city in Jammu and Kashmir.
Their families, however, rebutted the claim of the security forces and said the youth killed in the encounter were civilians. The families held protests outside the police control room in Srinagar.
The encounter began on Tuesday evening and continued till Wednesday morning after the forces resumed with fresh firing close to the building where the trio was hiding. The J&K Police, army, and the CRPF launched a cordon and search operation in the locality close to the national highway after inputs about the presence of militants.
Sources said that the army had received the inputs, and subsequently, an operation was launched by joint forces in the area.
By late night, sources said the operation was stopped and all the entry and exit points towards the area were completely sealed. The army claimed the militants killed in the encounter were planning a big attack on the national highway.
At a press briefing general officer commanding (GoC) Kilo Force H S Sahi said the militants had planned to launch an attack on the forces on the national highway and different agencies were getting inputs about the same.
“We had been getting inputs about the militant movement on the national highway. The operation was launched last evening after getting inputs that militants were inside a house close to the national highway. They were asked to surrender, however, they responded with firing and the operation was suspended for the night and when it was resumed again in the morning, they were again given a chance to surrender however, they again started firing and hurled grenades which gave an indication they had no intention to surrender.”
Families of the three youths killed in the encounter identified them as Zubair Ahmad of Turkawangam in Shopian, Ajaz Maqbool and Athar Mushtaq of Putrigam in Pulwama.
The families said that they were students and had left their home yesterday and alleged that they were picked up and then killed in an encounter.
Police spokesman said that one AK 47 rifle and two pistols and ammunition among other incriminating material were recovered from the possession of militants.
“From the recoveries their identity has been established as Ajaz Maqbool Ganie, Ather Mushtaq both residents of Pulwama and Zubair Lone, a resident of Shopian. Some families from South Kashmir came to the PCR and claimed them to be their wards. A case under relevant sections of law has been registered and an investigation has been initiated,” the spokesman added.
Former J&K chief minister and PDP president, Mehbooba Mufti said that authorities should come clean on this encounter.
“Worrying that in the past few months after the Shopian fake encounter other families too in J&K have alleged that their sons were innocent and killed in a staged encounter. Authorities need to come clean on this,” tweeted Mufti along with a video of protesting relatives of the youth killed in the encounter.
