Terrorist linked to migrant labourers’ killing shot dead in Shopian

The terrorist, who was identified as Imran Bashir Ganaie of Harmain village in the district, was killed by another terrorist during the anti-terror operation in Nowgam area in the early hours of Wednesday, police said.

Srinagar: A terrorist, who was reportedly in touch with Pakistan-based Laskhar-e-Taiba (LeT) and was arrested for the death of two migrant labourers in a grenade attack on Tuesday, was killed in an anti-terror operation in Jammu and Kashmir’s Shopian district on Wednesday, police said.

A joint anti-terrorist operation was launched in the orchard at midnight after the terrorist agreed to show the exact place of hideout of his associates, the spokesperson said.

The terrorist, who was identified as Imran Bashir Ganaie of Harmain village in the district, was killed by another terrorist during the anti-terror operation in Nowgam area in the early hours of Wednesday, they said.

“Based on disclosure of arrested hybrid terrorist and in continuous raids by police and security forces, another contact has been established between terrorists and security forces at Nowgam, Shopian, in which hybrid terrorist Imran Bashir Ganaie (was) killed by firing of another terrorist,” Kashmir Zone police tweeted.

“Incriminating materials, arms & ammunition has been recovered from the hideout/site of contact. Search still going on,” it added.

In a statement later in the day, a police spokesperson said during Ganaie’s interrogation, officials learnt that Ganaie had hurled the grenade at the migrant labourers.

Based on the terrorist’s disclosures, police and security forces conducted raids to nab his associates. “In one of the raids on hideout at Dongri Nala near Landoora bridge, although contact was established with the hiding terrorists , they managed to escape from the spot after initial firing,” the statement said.

“Another raid was conducted in Nowgam orchards where he had earlier met with other terrorists responsible in his recruitment in terror ranks, besides providing a grenade to him,” it added.

A joint anti-terrorist operation was launched in the orchard at midnight after the terrorist agreed to show the exact place of hideout of his associates, the spokesperson said.

“During the search operation, the hiding terrorists fired upon the joint search party, in which the arrested hybrid terrorist, who was accompanying and leading the search party for identifying the place, got injured. He was shifted to a hospital where he was declared brought dead… the terrorists managed to escape from the spot,” the statement said.

Two migrant labourers – Manish Kumar (34) and Ram Sagar (55), residents of Danna Purwa village under Thatia police station area in Uttar Pradesh’s Kannauj district – were killed on Monday night when terrorists lobbed a grenade at a tin shed where they were living, in Harmain village, Kashmir additional director general of police (ADGP) Vijay Kumar said.

Two terrorists, including Ganaie, who were reportedly in touch with LeT commanders Danish Bhat and Abid, were later arrested. In a statement, the Resistance Front (TRF), an outfit affiliated to the LeT, later claimed responsibility for the attack.

The incident was the latest in a series of targeted attacks on civilians, minorities and migrants. At least 17 people have been killed in such attacks across Kashmir this year.

Former Jammu and Kashmir chief minister and Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) president Mehbooba Mufti sought a probe into Ganaie’s killing “in custody”.

She said the killing of the labourers was condemnable but the death of an accused by terrorists while he was in police custody has given rise to allegations that it was part of the “catch and kill” policy.

“This has been earlier used in Punjab… it looks like there will be attempts to disturb the peace here as the elections in Gujarat and Himachal Pradesh draw closer so that the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) can get the maximum benefit from the Hindu-Muslim polarisation,” she alleged.

National Conference leader and Anantnag MP Husnain Masoodi also demanded a probe into the terrorist’s killing. “We demand an independent and impartial probe into the killing,” he said.

Reacting to the demands, BJP J&K unit spokesperson Altaf Thakur said the party stands with the police’s statement on the killing.

“Police have provided all details on how Ganaie was killed. PDP and other parties are just raising hue and cry,” he said.