Fayaz Bukhari
Srinagar, Mar 10: A divisional commander of Lashkar-e-Toiba (LeT) and his associate were killed and an Army officer of counter-insurgency Kilo Force was injured in a fierce gun battle between militants and security forces in North Kashmir’s Handwara area of frontier district of Kupwara today.
DIG, North Kashmir, Ghulam Hassan Bhat, told Excelsior that two militants of LeT were killed by Police and Army in a joint operation in Vilgam, Handwara in the frontier district of Kupwara today.
Police tonight recovered body of a Jaish-e-Mohammad militant in mysterious circumstances near Jamia Masjid Tral.
DIG, South Kashmir, Vijay Kumar said that body of a militant Arshad Bhia alias Chotu was recovered by police near Jamia Masjid Tral tonight after few gun shots were heard.
Kumar said that some gun shots were heard near Jamia Masjid Tral and on searches of the area, body of the militant was recovered. He said that he was shot twice in his head from back side and the bullet marks suggest that AK-47 was used to shoot him.
The DIG said that militant was dressed in combat and 5 magazines, one wireless set and one hand grenade was recovered from his pouch. He said that it seems that the militant was killed by militants in a group clash as there was no patrol party in the area when the incident took place.
SP Handwara, Maqsood-uz-Zamaan, while sharing details of Handwara gun battle said that the militants have been identified as Abu Huraira, divisional commander of LeT and his associate Abu Talha. He said that both the militants are Pakistanis and were operating in Handwara, Kupwara and Rafiabad areas.
The SP said that troops of 6-Rashtriya Rifles and Police cordoned off Sheikh Mohalla of village Malikpora, Vilgam, in Handwara area of Kupwara district last night after they received specific information about the presence of two militants in the village.
Zamaan said that the gun battle broke out at around 9:30 a.m. when militants opened fire from the house of one Habibullah of Sheikh Mohalla where they were hiding. He said that they fired grenades at the security forces and fired from AK-47 rifles leading to fierce gun battle.
The SP said that LeT divisional commander, Abu Huraira, tried to flee from the house by firing several grenades but was gunned down while fleeing by the troops. He said that a Major of the Army received minor injuries during the gun battle.
Zamaan said that another militant, Abu Talha, was injured in the gun battle. However, he continued to fire at security forces. “He was gunned down at around 2 p.m.”, he added.
The SP said that in the gun fight the wooden house in which militants were holed up caught fire and the body of Abu Talha was charred in the fire. “We recovered 2 AK-47 rifles and some grenades”, he added.
Zamaan said that the documents recovered from the dead militants revealed that these militants were operating in Handwara, Kupwara and Rafiabad from November 2008. “They were also travelling to Srinagar”, he added.
Sources said that these two militants were having an Alto and a Centro cars in which they were travelling to Srinagar and other places.
Srinagar based Defence spokesman, Lt Col N N Josh said here that on an specific intelligence input regarding presence of militants in village Malikpora of Handwara, district Kupwara, a joint operation of Army and JKP was launched which resulted in killing of two hardcore militants.
The spokesman said: “During the early hours of March 10, 2014, intelligence input was received regarding presence of some terrorists in a house in village Malikpora. Immediately a joint operation comprising of an RR unit and JKP was launched. While the troops closed in, heavy volume of fire was brought on the troops by the terrorists hiding in the house. The troops immediately retaliated by effective fire which resulted in killing of two terrorists. Both of them are foreign terrorists and belonged to LeT Tanzeem. They have been identified as Abu Huraira and Abu Talha. Abu Huraira was the divisional commander and has earlier been involved in many terrorist related activities. Two AK 47, magazines and a large quantity of ammunition was recovered from the site. During the operation one officer sustained minor injuries and was later administered first aid at Military Hospital, Drugmulla.”
The spokesman said that Chinar Corps Commander has complimented the troops of Army and JKP who braving the inclement weather, conducted the operation in a most professional manner killing both the militants.
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