3 JeM militants, cop killed in B’la encounter

Baramulla: Three foreign militants of the Jaish-e-Muhammad (JeM) outfit and a policeman were killed in a chance encounter with the security forces at Kreeri area of Baramulla district on Wednesday
An official said that the gunfight which took place at one of the checkpoints laid by the security forces at Kreeri led to the killing of a policeman identified as Mudasir Sheikh son of Maqsood Ahmad Sheikh a resident of Baramulla. “In the chance encounter, three hard-core JeM militants were also killed,” he said.
Inspector General of police (IGP) Kashmir Vijay Kumar said the slain militants were active in the district for the last three to four months while the security forces were regularly tracking them. He further said that the killed militants could have come to Srinagar and planned an attack.
Officials said that 75 militants have been killed since the beginning of this year in Kashmir. Of the total slain, 25 were foreigners. “Today was the 49th encounter of this year,” they said.
A police spokesman said that acting on an information, regarding movement of militants in Kreeri area of Baramulla, joint special checkpoints were established at many places including near Shrakwara-Najibhat Crossing in Kreeri area by Police and Army (52RR).
“As the joint party was noticed by a group of militants travelling in a Silver Color Santro Car, they started firing indiscriminately upon the joint party which was retaliated effectively leading to a chance encounter,” he said. “In the fierce gunfight, three foreign militants were killed and a policeman Mudasir Ahmad Sheikh received critical gunshot injuries. The injured was immediately shifted to nearby hospital where he succumbed,” the police spokesman said. “The bodies of all the killed militants linked with JeM were retrieved from the site and they have been identified as Ali Bhai, Hanief Bhai and Shah Wali, all residents of Pakistan.”
The spokesman said that the group was active in Pattan-Kreeri axis and were being tracked. “Incriminating materials, huge cache of arms and ammunition and IEDs including 03 AK-47 Rifles, 15 AK-47 Magazines, 344 AK-rounds, 05 Chinese grenades, 03 IEDs have been recovered from the site of encounter,” he said. Further searches are on for a suspect who possibly escaped from the site.
Talking to media persons at wreath laying ceremony at District Police Line Baramulla, IGP Kashmir Vijay Kumar termed the elimination of three foreign militants as a big success and congratulated the joint forces for their relentless work and great synergy/coordination on ground that led to elimination of 22 foreign militants during this year across the valley.
Referring to the yesterday’s terror incident at Soura, IGP Kashmir said that the two local militants of LeT (TRF) were involved in the incident and have been identified as Adil, resident of Ganderbal and a newly recruited militant Aquib of Chadoora Budgam