Youth willing to shun violence welcome: DGP
Excelsior Correspondent
JAMMU, Aug 29: Three Hizbul Mujahideen militants were killed and a soldier was martyred in Zadoora area of South Kashmir’s Pulwama today.
Security forces including Police, 50 RR of Army and CRPF on a specific input regarding presence of militants in village Zadoora area of Pulwama launched an operation last night in the village.
IGP Kashmir, Vijay Kumar, said that during the search operation, as the presence of militants was ascertained they were given opportunity to surrender. However, they fired indiscriminately upon the joint search party, which was retaliated leading to an encounter.
He said that three militants were killed in the gun battle and their bodies were retrieved from the encounter site in the morning. He identified them as Adil Hafiz, Arshid Ahmad Dar and Rouf Ahmad Mir, all residents of Pulwama and affiliated with Hizbul Mujahideen.
A soldier was critically injured in the gun battle and he was shifted to hospital for treatment where he succumbed to his injuries.
He has been identified as Sepoy Prashant Sharma and belonged to Muzaffar Nagar in Uttar Pradesh. The UP Government has announced Rs 50 lakh for the family of the soldier and Government job to next of the kin.
Police said that the killed militants had a long history of militancy crime records. They were part of groups involved in planning and executing several militant attacks in the area including attacks on police and security establishments.
As per police records, Adil Hafiz was involved in case FIR No. 112/2020 pertaining to attack on naka party at Prichoo Bridge in Pulwama in which one police personnel was killed and another was injured.
Police said that 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 militants were sent to Baramulla for burial purposes after completion of all medico-legal formalities. The nearest family members of the killed militants were allowed to participate in the last rites at Baramulla.
“Incriminating materials 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 militancy crimes”, police said.
In this connection a case under relevant sections of law has been registered in Police Station Pulwama and investigation has been initiated.
Seven militants were killed by security forces since yesterday in South Kashmir during two operations.
In the meantime, police arrested nine relatives of militants killed in different encounters with security forces in South Kashmir since yesterday, after they pelted stones at police outside Police Control Room Srinagar.
Police fired tear smoke shells to disperse the relatives of militants mainly women who had assembled outside PCR here to have a last glimpse of their kin.
Around 40-50 relatives of slain militants had arrived in Srinagar to see dead bodies of their relative militant killed in different encounters in Shopian and Pulwama districts of South Kashmir.
However, only close relatives were allowed to enter the Police Control Room to see the bodies which enraged others who later pelted stones on police deployed outside PCR.
Station House Officer (SHO) Shaheed Gunj was injured in the incident.
Those arrested were identified as Shahnawaz Ahmad of Bahibagh Kulgam, Zameer Ahmad Dar of Drabgam Pulwama, Basit Reyaz, Reyaz Ahmad of Mohpona Pulwama, Muzaffar Ahmad Bhat, Adil Nazir Bhat, Muhammad Ishaq all residents of Muradpora Shopian, Fayaz Ahmad Sofi of Sangam and Sahil Mukhtar of Drabgam Pulwama.
Militants this evening fired at a CRPF naka party at Pantha Chowk in Srinagar. However, there was no loss of life. The CRPF fired back but militants who were on motorcycle fled. Security forces have launched searches against the militants responsible for the attack.
Meanwhile, lauding the successful twin encounters in Shopian and Pulwama, Director General of Police, Dilbag Singh said that local youths who are willing to shun the path of violence and destruction are always welcome to live a peaceful life with their families.
He visited the twin districts of Pulwama and Shopian of South Kashmir to review the security scenario and law & order of these districts and also to appreciate the police personnel, Army and CRPF officials on the success of the back to back encounters in which seven terrorists were neutralized and another surrendered. He also paid homage to the soldier who was martyred in the encounter in Pulwama. The DGP was accompanied by IGP Kashmir Vijay Kumar.
Shortly after his arrival at Pulwama, the DGP briefed the media persons in DPO Pulwama about the successful operations at Pulwama and Shopian. He said that Al Badr district commander Shakoor Parray and his accomplices were involved in various heinous crimes. He said that they were involved in the abduction and then killing of Khanmoh Panch. He added that Shakoor Parray and his accomplices were also involved in the recruitment of local youth into the militancy.
The DGP congratulated Suhaib Bhat and his parents, who surrendered during the encounter at Shopian. He expressed his hope that all those persons who have been lured to join the militancy will choose the right path by surrendering and will shun violence and destruction. He said that neither in the past nor in future the path of violence will prove beneficial. The DGP appealed on behalf of police and security forces to all those youths who were lured and pushed by the Pakistan sponsored terrorists on the path of violence and destruction to come and join the peaceful life with their families.
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