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J&K: 22-year-old engineering student surrenders during gunfight with armed forces in Pulwama district
The man, who is pursuing BTech from Punjab, reportedly joined Hizbul Mujahideen outfit and had been missing since September 20
A 22-year-old engineering student surrendered before the forces during an exchange for fire late in Noorpora Awantipore in south Kashmir’s Pulwama district late on Monday evening.
An unidentified terrorist was also killed in the gunfight.The young man who surrendered has been identified as Saqib Akbar Waza. His pictures, where he can be seen stepping out to surrender, have gone viral on social media. In a short video, he can be seen asking people to shun militancy and expressing gratitude to the forces for saving his life.
Akbar is the fourth young man in this month to have surrendered during a gunfight in Kashmir. Earlier, a young man in Chadoora was captured during a gunfight in which a terrorist managed to escape. Last week, two men surrendered during an exchange of fire at Tujjar village in Sopore. Both of them had joined militant ranks only last month.
Inspector General of Police Kashmir Range, Vijay Kumar, said that Saqib Akbar Waza is pursuing B Tech in Punjab and had recently joined Hizbul Mujahideen outfit.
“ He was missing since September 20. This is the fourth time terrorists have surrendered in encounters.” Kumar also appealed parents of recently recruited men to persuade their sons to surrender before the forces and shun the path of violence.
Earlier, acting on specific information, police along with 42 Rashtriya Rifles and 130 BN CRPF launched a search operation at village Noorpora area of Awantipore. During the search, terrorists fired and in the exchange of fire, an unidentified terrorist died.
“The second terrorist managed to take shelter in a nearby house in the cordon area. The trapped terrorist was given an opportunity to surrender by means of repeated announcements and after very strenuous efforts of joint security forces, the trapped terrorist laid down his arms and surrendered during the live encounter. The parents of the terrorist were called to the site to meet him. Recovered arms and ammunition were taken into the custody for police records,” a police spokesperson said in a statement.
