Excelsior Correspondent
Srinagar, Oct 2: In a fierce encounter, five police personnel were injured after a top Lashkar-e-Toiba commander, Abu Huraira and his associates were trapped by police in the outskirts of Srinagar tonight.
Police sources said that Police and CRPF launched a joint operation in Ahmadnagar area in the peripheries of North Srinagar after they got specific information about the presence of a top LeT commander Abu Huraira and his associates in the area.
A security guard of an SDPO Ashiq Hussain Hajam sustain splinter injuries when the militants fired a grenade towards the search party in the area. The cop was removed to nearby hospital for treatment.
After half an hour, four more police men including a Sub-Inspector were injured in the encounter. They have been identified as Sub-Inspector Khurshid Awan, Salim Sadiq, Shabir Teli and Showkat Ahmad. They have been removed to hospital for treatment.
The encounter is going on and senior police officers are at the spot. More policemen were rushed to the area to prevent militants from fleeing from the cordon.
Army was called out late tonight to assist CRPF and police in the encounter. The cordon has been strengthened.
In the meantime, Police and Army in a joint operation today arrested a top Hizbul Mujahideen militant from Sopore area of North Kashmir while he was travelling in a Sumo vehicle on Sopore-Kupwara road, a top police source said here.
Nisar Shah’s arrest came after police last month announced a reward of Rs one lakh and a Government job for anyone who gives information about him and several other militants operating in Sopore area of North Kashmir.
In the first week of last month, police in Sopore circulated posters in Urdu with pictures of seven militants operating in the area. Police sought people’s help for tracing these militants in exchange of cash rewards and a Government job.
The posters read: “Get rewards worth lakhs of rupees and a Government job for providing information regarding 7 people who are involved in murder, robbery and other heinous crimes and are wanted by police. The information providers name will be kept secret.”
Those whose names and pictures appeared in posters were are Nisar Shah alias Usman son of Ghulam Mohidin of Saidpora, Sopore; Imtiaz Ahmad Kandu alias Fayaz son of Abdul Khaliq of Kral Teng Sopore; Tariq Ahmad Mir alias Zahid son of Ghulam Ahmad Mir of Aadoora Qalamabad; Aqib Rashid Sofi son of Abdul Rashid Sofi of Palhalan Pattan; Javed Ahmad Mattoo son of Abdul Gani Mattoo of Khushal Mattoo, Sopore; Mehrajudin Halvai son of Abdul Khaliq Halvai of Khushal Mattoo, Sopore and Perwiaz Ahmad Wani son of Sanaullah Wani of Gullora, Langate Handwara.
One of them Aqib was killed last month by police and Shah was arrested today. Shah was a stone pelter before he joined militancy in November 2010 and was most wanted militant in Sopore area.
Follow our WhatsApp channel