Train services suspended
Fayaz Bukhari
Srinagar, Mar 16 : Three Lashkar-e-Toiba (TRF) militants were killed in an encounter at Nowgam area of Srinagar this morning leading to the suspension of train services as the gun battle took place in the vicinity of Srinagar Railway Station.
Click here to watch video
Inspector General of Police Kashmir, Vijay Kumar, said that the trio were involved in the recent killing of Sarpanch Sameer Ahmed Bhat of Khonmoh.
Kumar said that they were also planning to attack security forces on the National Highway. “Arms and ammunition including one AK rifle, 3 AK magazines, 14 AK rounds, two pistols, 4 pistol magazines and 6 pistol rounds were recovered from the site of encounter”, he said.
He said that the operation was launched on a specific input generated by police regarding their presence in Nowgam area of Srinagar. He added that a joint cordon and search operation was launched by police and 50RR in the area on Tuesday evening.
“During the search operation, as the search party proceeded towards the suspected spot, the hiding militants fired indiscriminately at the search party which was retaliated effectively leading to an encounter. Later, CRPF also joined the encounter,” he said.
He identified dead militants as Adil Nabi Teli, resident of Galchibal Chandhara, Pampore, Shakir Ahmad Tantray, resident of Ronipora, Shopian and Yasir Ahmad Wagay resident of Kujer Frisal, Kulgam.
He said they were affiliated LeT (TRF) and active since year 2021. “They were part of groups involved in several crime cases including attack on Police/SF and civilian atrocities,” he added.
IGP Kashmir termed the killing of three militants as “a big success.” “This module was targeting Panchayat representatives as their masters don’t want grassroots democracy to flourish here,” he added.
He said police have busted all the modules involved in the killing of Sarpanchs. “We also busted the module involved in the killing of a CRPF man and a TA soldier in Budgam. Only one case was pending, that of Sarpanch Sameer, and with today’s encounter, that too stands solved,” he said, adding that adequate steps have been taken to ensure safe accommodations to Sarpanchs and Panchs in Kashmir.
Meanwhile, authorities suspended train services on the 137-kilometre Banihal-Baramulla rail line following the gun battle.
The decision was taken following a communication to Railway authorities by the police stating therein that “in view of the ongoing encounter at Shankarpora jurisdiction of Police Station Nowgam Srinagar and apprehension of law and order problem, train services may be suspended from Banihal to Baramulla and vice versa.” This is for the second time in the last four days that train services were affected in the Valley due to gunfight.
On March 11, the authorities suspended services from Awantipora in Pulwama district to Anantnag amid the killing of two militants in Naina Batpora, the area in Pulwama district which falls in the vicinity of Parigam, one of the Railway Stations in South Kashmir.
Follow our WhatsApp channel
