Fayaz Bukhari
Srinagar, Jan 23: Three militants of Lashkar-e-Toiba (LeT) were killed in a gun battle with security forces at Binner village of North Kashmir’s Baramulla district today.
A joint team of Army’s 4 PARA Commandos, 46 RR, Special Operations Group of Jammu and Kashmir Police and 53 Batallion CRPF launched an operation at Binner area close to forests on outskirts of Baramulla following inputs about the presence of militants.
As the joint team of security forces approached the suspected spot, the hiding militants opened fire triggering a gunfight resulting in the killing of three militants.
The killed militants were identified as Shoaib Akhoon of Khanpora, Mosin Mushtaq of Qazihamam and Nissar Darzi of Jamia Mohalla, Old Town.
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A police spokesman, in a statement, said that the operation was launched jointly by police and security forces based on a credible input about the presence of militants in the area. “In the ensuing encounter, three militants were killed and their bodies were retrieved from the site of encounter. Their identities and affiliations are being ascertained”, he said.
“Incriminating material including arms and ammunition was recovered from the site of encounter. Police have registered a case and initiated investigation in the matter,” he said.
Following the killing of the militants, the internet services was suspended across the district.
All the three militants were active in Baramulla and Sopore areas and had a long history of militancy. Police said that they were involved in killing of three young boys in Baramulla in April last year including Haseeb Nabi Khan son of Ghulam Nabi Khan of Kakarhamam, Irfan Ahmad Sheikh son of Ali Mohammad Sheikh of Syed Karim and Mohd Asgar Sheikh son of Mushtaq Ahmad Sheikh of Kakarhamam Baramulla for which a case (FIR No: 74 of 2018 under section 302 RPC, 7/27 Arms Act) was lodged.
One militant Ajaz Ahmad Gojri son of Abdul Rehman Gojri of Jamia Mohalla Baramulla, who was part of the group involved in the killing three youths, has been arrested earlier.
“Moreover they were also involved in conspiring and executing several terror attacks on security establishments in the area including grenade attacks on Police Station Baramulla on 2/12/2017 and 2/01/2018 respectively”, Police said.
Police said that the militants killed today were provided with ample opportunity to surrender. However, they fired on the security forces from their hideout leading to the exchange of fire in which all the three were killed. “Pertinently due to the efforts of security forces it was a clean operation and no collateral damage took place during the encounter”, Police said.
“Arms and ammunition including 3 AK 47 rifles were recovered from the site of encounter. All these materials have been taken in case records for further investigation and probe their complicity in other terror cases”, police said.
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