*Situation peaceful, will improve further: DGP
Fayaz Bukhari
SRINAGAR, Dec 20: Three militants including a wanted Lashkar-e-Toiba commander were killed in an encounter at Mujh Marg area of Shopian today.
Additional Director General of Police Kashmir, Vijay Kumar, said that among three killed militants two are locals of the area including Lateef Lone from Shopian and Umer Nazir from Anantnag.
He said that Lateef was involved in the killing of Kashmiri Pandit Puran Krishan Bhat of Chowdrigund while Umer Nazir was involved in killing of Nepali Labourer Till Bahadur Thapa at Bon Dialgam Anantnag. “One AK 47 rifle and two pistols were recovered from the encounter spot,” he added.
The ADGP Kumar told reporters in Ganderbal that the third slain was a new recruit from old town Baramulla.
“All the militants involved in the killing of minorities have been neutralised and only one is surviving whose name is Adil Wani, who is being tracked down,” he said.
He also said that all the modules involved in the civilian killings in the last three years have been neutralized barring one.
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A police spokesman said that acting on a specific information generated by police regarding presence of militants in Mujh Marg area of Shopian, a joint cordon and search operation was launched by Police, 1-RR of Army and CRPF in the area. “During the search operation, as the joint search party approached towards the suspected spot, the hiding militants fired indiscriminately upon the joint search party which was retaliated effectively leading to an encounter,” the spokesman said.
He said that in the ensuing encounter, three local militants were killed and their bodies were retrieved from the site of the encounter. “They have been identified as Mohd Lateef Lone, resident of Check Kachidoora, Shopian, Umer Nazir Bhat resident of Check Ban Dialgam, Anantnag and Danish Hussain Kakroo of Old Town Baramulla,” he said.
The spokesman said that all the killed militants were categorized and involved in several crime cases including attacks on police, security forces and civilians.
Meanwhile, Director General of Police (DGP) Dilbag Singh today said almost all militant outfits have been wiped out while some militant modules were active and they would also be finished very soon.
Speaking to reporters on the side-lines of inauguration of a police post in Ganderbal district, the DGP said that the present security situation was most peaceful in Kashmir. “Dal lake is looking more beautiful and tourists are coming despite the fall in the temperatures. Some militant modules are active to sustain militancy while outfits have been by and large wiped out,” he said.
The DGP said that the security situation was improving with each passing day. “In next three to four months, the situation will be more peaceful,” he said.
To a query about threats being issued by TRF, the DGP said that these are tactics to keep the fear of militancy alive and this all is being done by the ISI. “These people are targeting non-locals, minorities and innocents. Pakistan can’t decide who will live in Kashmir. It is the J&K Government that will decide who has to stay in Kashmir to work here,” he said.
The DGP said that militant figures are in double digits vis-à-vis locals and foreigners. “Anti-militancy operations are going on every week. Almost all militant outfits have been wiped out. Some modules are active that are being tracked down. These modules will also be finished soon,” he said.
He said that there is a possibility that some remaining hiding militants may change their base and shift to residential areas given the fall in temperatures. “We are ready to face militants in orchards as well as in forests as well,” Dilbag said.
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