Police solves shooting of Krishna dhaba owner’s son, nabs 3
Excelsior Correspondent
JAMMU, Feb 19: Three police personnel were martyred in two separate shootouts while an equal number of militants were killed across Kashmir and police arrested three persons allegedly involved in the attack on the son of the owner of a famous eatery.
Militants today martyred two police men who were on duty in Baghat area of Srinagar. The two cops were outside a shop while another was inside when militants fired at them. Both the cops who were unarmed were critically injured in the attack.
The CCTV footage of the shootout shared by police shows a lone militant appearing at the spot hiding his AK-47 rifle under gown (Pheran). The militant suddenly fires at the cops who are standing at a shop front leaving them in a pool of blood. The attack causes panic and people are seen fleeing from the spot and so is the militant.
The martyred cops have been identified as Suhail Ahmed and Muhammad Yousuf, residents of Ashmuqam, Anantnag and Zurhama, Kupwara respectively.
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Inspector General of Police (IGP) Kashmir range, Vijay Kumar, said that two police personnel were martyred in a militant attack in Baghat. He added that two Lashkar-e-Toiba militants including a local carried out the attack and both attackers have been identified.
Talking to reporters on the sidelines of a wreath laying ceremony of two martyred cops at DPL Srinagar, the IGP said that two Lashkar-e-Toiba militants including a foreign militant and a local Saqib carried out the Baghat attack. “The two policemen were on a routine duty and were at a shop to buy something. They were fired from the back. They were totally unarmed,” he said.
Kumar said that both the attackers will be tracked down soon. “Doctors at the hospital tried their best to save the two injured cops but couldn’t,” the IGP said adding that the incident will help the cops to work with more dedication and take extra precautions. “We will go for a security review and plug the loopholes. Had the policemen been with weapons, perhaps they would have retaliated,” the IGP said.
Asked if a civilian has been detained at Baghat area, he said that nobody has been detained or arrested. “May be someone has been detained for routine questioning,” he said.
Meanwhile, an SPO was martyred and a constable injured during an anti-militancy operation in Budgam district today.
Police, Army’s 53 RR and 79 bn CRPF launched a joint cordon and search operation in village Zanigam, Beerwah, in Central Kashmir’s Budgam early this morning.
During the search operation, the hiding militants fired indiscriminately at the security forces in which SPO Muhammad Altaf and constable Manzoor Ahmed received bullet injuries. However, one of the injured Muhammad Altaf succumbed to his injuries while Manzoor is being treated at the hospital.
The IGP Kashmir said that militant commander Yosuf Kantroo and a foreigner managed to flee from the encounter site. “It is very difficult stage when cordon is being laid and exchange of fire takes place. The house owner told us that one of the two militants sustained bullet wounds in his shoulder or leg. We followed the blood stains and where blood trail ended-around two kilometers from the site of gunfight, cordon was again laid and searches launched,” he said.
Three Al-Badr militants were killed in an overnight gunfight at Imam Sahib area of Shopian district.
A joint operation was launched by Police, Army’s 44 RR and CRPF on a specific information about the presence of militants in Imam Sahib area.
As the joint team of forces approached towards the suspected spot, the hiding militants fired upon them, which was retaliated, triggering an encounter.
The IGP said that the militants had taken house owner, his wife and a girl as hostages. “We rescued the civilians and made several offers to the militants to surrender, but they refused. At 5:30 am, final assault was launched after which three militants were killed. All three slain militants are locals and were affiliated with Al-Badr outfit”, he said.
The slain militants have been identified as Suhail Sheikh alias Azeem son of Abdul Ghani Sheikh, resident of Turkwangam, Shahid Ahmad Dar alias alias Furkan son of Bashir Ahmad Dar, resident of Samboora, Awantipora and Muddasir Ahmad Wagay son of Fayaz Ahmad Wagay, resident of Chak Sangren, affiliated with proscribed militant outfit Al-Badr.
The bodies of all the three killed militants were retrieved from the site of encounter. Arms and ammunition including two AK rifles, five AK magazines, 96 AK rounds, 1 pistol, 1 pistol magazine, five pistol rounds and other incriminating materials were recovered from the site of encounter. Meanwhile, as a precautionary measure, internet services have been snapped in Shopian district.
The IGP said that three-bike-borne newly recruited militants carried out the attack on the owner of Krishna Dhaba at Dalgate area to instil fear among tourists on a day when foreign envoys were in Srinagar.
“We acted swiftly and constituted teams under the supervision of DIG rank officer that was headed by SP (South City). A civilian called SP South city that attackers were riding a bike after which we accessed the CCTV footage and followed other inputs,” the IGP told a news conference at PCR.
He said that Srinagar police with the help of Anantnag police followed certain leads and arrested two youth who were involved in the act. “The bike used in the offence and pistol were seized. After interrogating the duo, they revealed that third person was also involved in the crime. Third one was also arrested. All three were newly recruited militants and one of them was given pistol training in the forest area of Pahalgam,” the IGP Kashmir said. “Two arrested youth hailed from Pampore and third one is from Pulwama.”
He said that three youth were lured by a Lashkar-e-Toiba or (TRF) commander Gazi, who had tasked the trio to strike at Krishna Dhaba where tourist rush is always high and the shop even remains open during hartals. He said that trio were associated with Muslim Janbaaz Force (MJF), which is an off-shoot of LeT.
“The main aim of the attack was to instill fear among the tourists on a day when EU envoys were in Srinagar,” the IGP said. The arrested youth were identified as Vilayat Aziz Mir , a resident of Wampora, Pulwama, Suhail Ahmad Mir and Owais Manzoor Sofi, both residents of Dangerpora, Anantnag.
He said that all three arrested youth have accepted the crime and “we have recorded their confession statement in a video to be produced before the court along with the challan.”
“We have cracked the case in 48 hours and it is a big success for us,” he said. “On February 17, the trio on the bike of Suhail Ahmed Mir, reached Krishna Dhaba at 7.15 pm and fired indiscriminately on the staff injuring owner of the Dhaba Akash Mehra son of Ramesh Kumar Mehra, he added”
Asked whether any further security measures would be taken given the fact that tourist season is coming, he said that there would be more surveillance and deployment in the busy areas of Srinagar and elsewhere. “More bunkers will be set up if needed in these areas. A close watch will be kept on the elements who may try to disturb the peace. Frisking will also be intensified,” he said
The IGP said: “The people who are from outside have been working here for long and they get the local support as well and it is really difficult to identify whether they are non-locals or not, this is something which Pakistan does not want to happen and that the reason we have had a couple of such attacks.”
Kumar said that security forces will have constant eye on sleeper cells and OGWs. “The tourism season is in the offing, and Pakistan will try hard to disturb the peace, but we have kept such areas on surveillance, we will increase the frequency of patrolling, frequent frisking will be carried out, and if need be, we will construct a few more bunkers as well. We have a constant eye on the sleeper cells as well as the OGWs. We are ready to deal with the situation and we have a plan in place to ensure peaceful summer and tourist season; we have worked out the challenges that we might face”, he said.
“Those who were involved in the Krishna Dhaba attack were given the training to use the pistol in Pahalgam six months ago. Their parents didn’t even know that they were involved in such activities. I want to appeal to the parents to keep an eye on their children and watch their activities”, he said.
He said that some leaders including those from mainstream are trying to instigate people on the bases of rumours.
“There are some leaders from the mainstream as well who are trying to instigate public on the bases of rumours. They are trying to instigate people based on fake news and I want to say no matter who is involved in such activities, we are making a dossier in this regard and we are also putting such instances on record and if need be, we will also take action in such matters”, he said.
Police today arrested two LeT militant associates and recovered two hand grenades from their possession in Papchan area of North Kashmir’s Bandipora district.
Police said that acting on specific inputs regarding movement of militant associates, Bandipora police along with 14 RR and CRPF laid a joint naka near Papchan Bandipora bridge.
“During the checking, two suspected persons were signalled to stop but they tried to flee. Acting swiftly, the duo were apprehended and during search two live hand grenades were recovered from their possession,” police said.
The duo has been identified as Abid Waza son of Abdul Gani Waza and Shabir Ahmad Gojer son of Mohammad Abdulla Mir Gojer.
“On preliminary enquiry, it was revealed that the accused were associated with militant outfit LeT and were providing shelter, logistics and other material support to active militants of LeT in the area and they were tasked by their handlers to carry out a grenade attack on security forces in Bandipora”, police said.
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