From Fayaz Bukhari
Srinagar, Mar 28: In a fierce encounter with the security forces, five militants of Lashkar-e-Toiba (LeT) including district commander of the outfit were killed in Rajwar forests of Handwara, in the frontier district of Kupwara today.
This is the major success for the security forces in Kashmir this year against the LeT outfit. Last time in February this year, 3 LeT militants were killed in Pulwama district of South Kashmir.
The Deputy Inspector General (DIG) Police, North Kashmir, Munir Khan, told Excelsior that 5 militants of LeT were killed in two encounters which took place in Panwani forests and Laribal in Rajwar forest area of North Kashmir’s Kupwara district this morning.
DIG Khan said that 5 AK rifles, 17 magazines and 3 live grenades were recovered from their possession. He said that all of them were foreign militants and the dairies recovered from them suggest that three of them are Abu Bakar, Ali Bhai and Hanza Bhai.
Superintendent of Police (SP) Handwara, Choudery Aslam, said here that the searches were started in the forests early in the morning at around 7 a.m. He said that during the searches encounter took place at two places one, in Panjwani forests and second in a nearby Laribal village.
SP Choudery said that two militants were hiding in the house of widow of Mohammad Yusuf Geelani. He said that the security forces were fired upon from inside the house during searches resulting in the encounter during which two militants were killed.
The SP said that three militants were killed in Panjwani forests during the encounter. He said that they were two groups of militants and all of them belong to LeT.
The SP said that these militants were operating in the area for last two years and security forces were after them. He said that they were responsible for killings in the area.
The encounter is over, however, the search operations in the area are going on, the SP said.
Sources said that for the past few weeks security forces were after these militants and had laid ambush for them at several places. They said that these militants were trying to shift to built-up areas after the melting of snow in the forests. They said that Abu Bakar who is one among the dead was district commander of the outfit.
Srinagar based Defence Spokesperson Lt Col JS Brar said here this evening that based on specific information about presence of militants in Laribal Peer Mohalla in Rajwar forest, of Handwara, in the frontier district of Kupwara, a joint operation was launched by the 21 Rashtriya Rifles of army and the Jammu and Kashmir Police at around 10 a.m.
The spokesman said that the militants were surrounded by the security forces and were asked to surrender. They, however, opened fire resulting in an intense fire fight that lasted for several hours.
He said that five militants were killed in the encounter. “Most of the militants are likely to be foreigners and belong to the LeT outfit”, he said adding that Police are ascertaining the facts.
This is the first major operation of the security forces in the Kashmir this year in which 5 militants were killed. Three militants of the LeT were killed in a Pulwama village in February this year.
Inspector General of Police (IGP) Kashmir, S M Sahai, termed the killings as major success for the security forces. He said that these militants were involved in the killing one Ghulam Rasool Mir and his son Manzoor Ahmad Mir of Rajwar and Saleema wife of Rashid Paswal in Pidoo Behak. They were also involved in the killing of an army jawan in Bangas valley and injuring three army personnel in Wudar, Handwara, he added. These militants were wanted in FIRs 133/2011, 226/2011, 204/2011 and 241/2011 in Police Station Handwara.
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