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Kashmir: 4 terrorists killed in separate encounters, say police
Four terrorists, including two Pakistanis, were killed in two separate encounters with security forces in Kashmir valley on Sunday, police said.
Four terrorists, including two Pakistanis, were killed in two separate encounters with security forces in Kashmir valley on Sunday, police said.
Both the encounters continued at the time of filing this report.
While two terrorists were killed in north Kashmir’s Kupwara district, the remaining two were gunned down in south Kashmir’s Kulgam district, police said.
The encounter in the frontier district of Kupwara, near the Line of Control, erupted after police and army (28RR) launched a joint anti-terrorist operation in Lolab area on the basis of inputs of an arrested terrorist, Showket Ahmed Sheikh.
“During the search of a hideout, the hiding terrorists started firing indiscriminately on the joint search party, which was retaliated effectively leading to an encounter,” a police spokesperson said in a statement.
The statement, however, did not clarify how Sheikh, who was in police custody, got trapped in the gunfight.
Two Pakistani terrorists of Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) were killed in the encounter, the spokespersons said. “...so far, two Pakistani terrorists of proscribed terror outfit LeT were killed. Heavy exchange of fire is still going on and the operation is in progress,” the spokesperson added.
In Kulgam, two local terrorists were killed as a joint party of police and army launched a search operation in D H Pora area, police said.
The deceased were identified as Haris Sharief of Srinagar and Zakir Padder of Kulgam. While the former belonged to LeT, the latter belonged to Hizbul Mujahideen, they added.
The deceased were categorised terrorists and part of groups involved in various terror crimes, including attacks on police personnel and civilian atrocities, police said.
“By targeting innocent civilians, including women and kids, unarmed policemen and migrant labourers, terrorists cannot deter our efforts to bring peace in the Valley. Our CT (counter-terror ) operations will continue simultaneously in all three regions of Kashmir valley, specially against foreign terrorists,” Kashmir inspector general of police (IGP) Vijay Kumar said.
The two encounters came a day after a sub-inspector was killed by terrorists in south Kashmir’s Pulwama district.
On Thursday, four terrorists were killed in two encounters with security forces in Kulgam and Anantnag districts. A terrorist who was involved in the killing of a school teacher on May 31 was among the deceased. At least 22 terrorists have been killed this month so far.
3 associates of terrorists arrested in Handwara
Three terrorist associates of Al-Badr outfit were arrested in north Kashmir’s Handwara on Sunday, a police spokesperson said.
“Acting on specific information regarding movement of terrorists in Wangam area of Handwara, a special checkpoint was established by Police, 32RR and 92Bn CRPF near Wangam Crossing. During checking, the alert joint party apprehended three individuals moving in suspicious circumstances,” the spokesperson said in a statement.
The arrested associates were identified as Nazim Ah Bhat, Siraj din Khan and Adil Gull, all residents of Khaipora in Kupwara’s Kralgund. A pistol, a magazine, eight live rounds and two hand grenades were also recovered from the trio, the spokesperson said.
“Preliminary investigation revealed that the arrested trio is linked with proscribed terror outfit Al- Badr and they were tasked by Pakistan based handlers to carry out terrorist acts in the area,” a police officer familiar with the matter said, adding that a case has been registered and a probe is underway.
