Pulwama: Pulwama and Shopian districts of South Kashmir have been the primary focus of the security forces this year so far as out of total 77 militants killed across the Valley, 40 were killed in these twin districts alone in 18 encounters, official data accessed by the KNO reveals.
As per the data, Pulwama witnessed ten encounters in which 22 militants were killed while as Shopian saw eight encounters resulting in the killing of 18 militants.
“In addition to these encounters which had lead to casualties, there were at least four incidents of exchange of fire, in Tral belt where militants managed to escape after exchange of fire,” figures reveal. They state that on January 3, three militants namely Tawseef Ahmad, zubair Ahmed, both residents of Chersoo, Awantipora and Shakoor Ahmad of Laribal Tral were killed in forests of Gulshan Pora Tral.
“On January 8, a non local militant belonging to Jaish Muhammad outfit was killed in a brief encounter at Chowdribagh in Litter area of Pulwama,” the figures reveal. “On January 26, two militants of Jaish including one local namely Saqib Ahmad of Arihal were killed in an encounter at Khonmouh area of Pampore belt in Pulwama district.
The figures disclose that on February 1, two Jaish militants namely Shahid Baba of Drabgam and Anayat Zarger of Arihal were killed in an encounter at Drabgam. “On February 6, a militant namely Irfan Ahmad sheikh of Chakoora, Pulwama was killed in a brief shootout in his native village,” the figures reveal. “On February 12, A militant Hilal Ahmad Rather of kakapora area was killed in an encounter at Ratnipora Pulwama.”
On February 18, three militants including Hilal Ahmad from Pingelan Pulwama were killed in an encounter at Pingelan, Pulwama. “On March 5, two local Hizb militants namely Irfan Ahmad from Shareef Abad Tral and Adfar Fayaz from Gulshan pora Tral were killed in an encounter in Tral town,” official figures available with KNO, reveal. “On March 10, three militants including top local Jaish Commander Mudasir Khan were killed in an encounter at Pinglish Tral.”
On April 1, four militants namely Tawseef Ahmad from Gadbug Pulwama, Zafar Ahmad from Moolu Shopian, Aaqib Kumar from Hillow Imam Sahib and Muhammad Shafi from Sedow Shopian were killed in an encounter at Lassipora Pulwama. In Shopian, on January 22, Three militants including Dr Shams ul Haq of sugan, Shoiab shah of Shirmal and Aamir Ah Bhat of Chiddipora chitragam were killed in an encounter in a hideout in orchards of Shirmal, Shopian.
On February 27, two militants including one local namely Sahil Ahmad from Saidpora Shopian were killed in an encounter at Memendar, Shopian. “On March 22, two militants namely Showkat Ahmad( former spo) of Harmain and Yasir Ahmad of Arhama were killed in an encounter at Gadhapora, Shopian,” the data accessed by KNO discloses.
“On March 28, three militants namely Aaqib Ahmad Bhat from Armulla Pulwama, Basharat Ahmad from Wasoora, Pulwama and Sajad Khanday of Bamnoo Pulwama were killed in an encounter in a hideout in Keller area of Shopian. On April 6, two militants namely Bilal Ahmad from Keegam and Rahil Rashid from Nuner Ganderbal were killed in a brief shootout in orchards of Pargochi, Shopian.
On April 13, two militants including top Jaish commander Shah-e-Jahan from Amshipora and Aabid Wagay from Rawalpora, Shopian were killed in an encounter at Gahand area of district. “On May 3, three Hizb militants including top commander Lateef tiger of Dogripora Pulwama, Tariq Molvi of Molu Chitragam and Shariq Nengroo of Chotigam, Shopian were killed in an encounter at Adkhara Imam Sahib area of Shopian,” the figures reveal. “On May 10, a militant Ishfaq Ah Sofi from Sopore was killed in a very brief shootout in orchards of Amshipora Shopian.”
In addition to the above encounters, on January 17, top militant commander Zeenat-ul-Islam of Sugan Shopian along with Shakeel Dar of Chillipora Sugan were killed in an encounter at Kathpora, Kulgam and on January 21, three militants—Tawseef Wani from Nowpora Payeen, Pulwama, Subzar from Lassipora Pulwama and Syed Ruban from Nazimpora, Shopian were killed in an encounter in forests of Hapatnar in Charar-e-Shareef area of Budgam.
A top police official confirmed to KNO, that the special focus was given to Pulwama and Shopian districts to ensure that top leadership of militants is wiped out. “We have succeeded in our mission so far as 77 militants were killed so far since January, the highest in the almost five years,” he said.(KNO)
