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RTF commander, deputy were killed in covert operation: J&K Police
Terming the operation a big success, police said they tracked down RTF commander Abbas Sheikh following inputs that he was operating in Srinagar and shuttling between central and South Kashmir. Sheikh’s deputy Saqib Manzoor was shot dead along with him on Monday
The killings of chief commander of Resistance Force (TRF), a shadow outfit of Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT), and his deputy on Monday evening were part of a covert operation, said the police.
Terming the operation a big success, police said they tracked down RTF commander Abbas Sheikh following inputs that he was operating in Srinagar and shuttling between central and South Kashmir. Sheikh’s deputy Saqib Manzoor was shot dead along with him on Monday.
Inspector General of Police, Kashmir, Vijay Kumar said a 10-member police team raided a specific location in Alochibagh area. “During the raid, the militants were given an opportunity to surrender. However, they started firing at the police team. Our team also retaliated. In a brief exchange of fire, two militants of LeT (TRF) were neutralised,” he said.
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Sheikh was earlier a Hizbul Mujahideen militant, arrested and released twice. Later, he joined LeT and, according to the police, was operating as the TRF chief. Manzoor had been active since 2020 and helped Shiekh in carrying out attacks in the city. Sheikh was from Kulgam district while Manzoor hailed from Barzulla.
“They were involved in killing of several political workers, police personnel and civilians. Saqib Manzoor was involved in the killing of advocate Babar Qadri last year. Besides, both them were also involved in several grenade attacks on security establishments and were also involved in several other terror crimes and civilian atrocities,” police spokesperson said in a statement released after the killing late Monday.
Both Sheikh and Manzoor were among the top 10 militants operating in Kashmir, according to the list police released earlier this month.
