Fayaz Bukhari
Srinagar, Mar 26: Militants tonight snatched five Self Loading Rifles (SLRs) from the security guards at the ancestral house of Minister of State, Syed Farooq Indrabi, in Dooru area of South Kashmir’s Anantnag district. And two militants were killed in an encounter with security forces in Awantipora area of South Kashmir this afternoon.
A Police officer said that at least 13 militants including their Over Ground Workers (OGWs) tonight attacked the ancestral residence of Minister of State for Industries and Commerce, Hajj and Auqaf and Power Development Department, Syed Farooq Indrabi, at Shestargam in Dooru area of Anantnag district.
One of the security guards, Gulzar Ahmad, of the Minister was injured in the attack. He has been hospitalized. Senior police and Army officers reached the spot and massive searches have been launched against the militants responsible for weapon snatching. However, Minister was not present at the residence at the time of the attack as this residence is mostly used by his father.
In the meantime, two militants of Hizbul Mujahideen were killed in a gun battle in South Kashmir’s Awantipora area after they fired at the vehicle of a police officer this afternoon.
A police officer said that Assistant Superintendent of Police (ASP) Pulwama, Chandan Kohli, was on his way from Pulwama to Anantnag in a Bolero car along with two Personal Security Officers (PSOs) when a group of militants was coming from opposite directions in a Maruti car bearing registration number JK13A-0764.
The militants fired at the bullet proof vehicle of the ASP in Padgampora village and the police officers and his security guards retaliated killing two militants on the spot and two of the militants fled from the spot leaving behind the car.
The officer said that the militants have been identified as Shahbaz Shafi Wani alias Rayees Kachroo son of Mohammad Shafi resident of Beloo Rajpora Pulwama and Farooq Ahmad Hurrah son of Ghulam Ahmad Hurrah resident of Nazneenpora Shopian. “Both of them belonged to Hizb ul Mujahideen. The dead bodies have been handed over to the legal heirs for last rites”, he said.
One AK rifle, one SLR, one AK magazine, 2 SLR Magazines, 2 pouches and a grenade was recovered from the spot. The car in which militants were travelling was seized by Police.
Inspector General of Police, Kashmir, SMJ Gillani told a press conference at Awantipora this evening that there was no prior information about these militants. “There was no prior information and there was a meeting with Chief Election Officer in Pulwama which these officers had attended”, he said.
The IGP said that a police party was returning from Pulwama to Awantipora and near Padgampora, some militants, travelling in a car, opened firing on the police party, which was retaliated and in the ensuing gunfire, the two militants were killed and their bodies were recovered.
“An AK-47 rifle and one SLR were recovered from them. Interestingly, the SLR weapon was snatched from a minority picket in the month of October”, Gillani said.
“One of them has been identified as Shahbaz Wani, alias Rayees Kachru, a resident of Bellow Pulwama. The identity of the other is being ascertained. We have recovered two identity cards from second body and his name is said to be Farooq Ahmad Hurra, a terrorist hailing from Nazneenpora village of Shopian. But we cannot confirm that body is of Farooq till identification. Farooq Ahmad Hurra’s family members have been informed”, the IGP said.
According to our officers at the spot, perhaps one militant managed to escape. “Two others have been killed. As I said, Shabaaz was active since June 2016 and was involved in weapon snatching incident at a minority picket”, he added.
Soon after the encounter clashes broke out between security forces and stone throwing protesters at Bellow, Padgampora, Awantipora and Pulwama. Security forces fired tear smoke to disperse the protesters.
And this morning 1-RR of army and Kulgam police launched a cordon and search operation at Gretbal Qaimoh area of Kulgam district.One SLR, three magazines and 132 rounds of SLR ammunition were recovered during the searches.
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