3 militants killed in Srinagar, 1 in Kulgam

Srinagar: Four militants including a Pakistani national were gunned down in two separate encounters at Srinagar and Kulgam during past 24 hours.
“On a specific input generated by Police regarding presence of militants in Zadibal area of Srinagar district, a joint Cordon and Search Operation (CASO) was launched by Police and CRPF in the area”, police spokesperson said.
He said during the search operation, the hiding militants were repeatedly appealed to surrender through family and community members of the area but instead they started firing indiscriminately upon search party, which was retaliated leading to an encounter.
“In the ensuing encounter, three militants were killed and their bodies were retrieved from the site of encounter. The slain militants were identified as Shakoor Farooq Langoo of Bharthana Srinagar and Shahid Ahmad Bhat of Semthan Bijbehara, however the identification of the third killed militant is yet to be ascertained”, police spokesperson said an added “all the killed militants were affiliated with Hizb and Islamic State JK”.
As per police record, one of the killed militant namely Shakoor Farooq Lango was involved in the killing of two BSF personnel at 90ft road Soura on 20.05.2020 and the snatched AK rifle belonging to the slain BSF man was recovered from the site of encounter.
Police stated that in Zadibal encounter Police and other forces yet again showed patience and exercised utmost restraint, thereby ensured a clean operation with no collateral damage in an otherwise highly congested and densely populated area of city Srinagar.
It said that incriminating material including arms and ammunition were recovered from the site of encounter. “All the recovered materials have been taken into case records for further investigation and to probe their complicity in other terror crimes”, it said.
Meanwhile another militant was killed in a separate anti-militancy operation launched in Likhdipora area of south Kashmir’s Kulgam district on Saturday late night. The police identified the slain militant as Tayab Waleed alias Imran Bhai alias Gazi Baba, a Pakistani national affiliated with proscribed militant outfit JeM.
According to police records he was operational commander of JeM and was an expert in making IEDs besides being a sharp shooter. Arms and ammunition including one AK rifle, one M-4 Carbine, a Pistol and other incriminating material was recovered from the site of encounter.
Regarding the said encounters, cases under relevant sections of laws stands registered in concerned police stations and investigation has been initiated.
Keeping in view the prevailing pandemic due to COVID-19 and to ensure the safety of people from inherent risk of contracting the infection, the dead bodies of the killed terrorists have been sent to Handwara & Baramulla for their burial & last rites after completion of medico-legal formalities. The nearest family members of the killed militants shall also participate in their last rites at Handwara and Baramulla.
IGP Kashmir Vijay Kumar appreciated the teams of Police and CRPF for conducting a clean and successful operation in a very congested and densely populated area of Srinagar with no collateral damage.
However Police appealed people to remain away from the encounter sites till the areas are sanitised and cleared from explosive materials, if any. (KNS).