Excelsior Correspondent
JAMMU, Oct 20 : Four militants including two district commanders affiliated with Lashkar-e-Toiba (LeT) were killed and a soldier martyred in two separate encounters in South Kashmir’s Shopian and Kulgam districts today.
Police said that on specific information about the presence of militants, a joint team of security forces including Police, 44 RR and CRPF today launched a search operation in Dragad area of Shopian.
He said that after the presence of militants got ascertained, they were given repeated surrender offers but hiding militants fired upon security forces which retaliated leading to an encounter. Click here to watch video
“During exchange of fire two local militants including a district commander of LeT Aadil Ahmad Wani of Shirmal Shopian and Shakir Ahmad Wani of Litter Pulwama were killed,” he said.
He said that during exchange of fire three soldiers received injuries among them Sepoy Karanveer Singh succumbed to his injuries.
The official said that slain were involved in the killing of a non-local carpenter Sageer Ahmad from Saharanpur, Uttar Pradesh on October 16.
A police spokesperson identified the militants as Adil Hussain Wani son of Ghulam Hussain Wani resident of Shirmal, district commander Shopian of proscribed outfit LeT (TRF) and Shakir Ahmad Wani son of Ghulam Qadir Wani resident of Litter Pulwama.
He said that as per police records, both the killed militants were involved in several crime cases including civilian atrocities. “Adil Ahmad was active since July-2020 and was involved in several terror crime cases including the recent killing of one poor carpenter Sageer Ahmad Ansari of Saharanpur UP at Litter Pulwama on 16/10/2021,” the police spokesman said. “One of the killers of a carpenter, was a resident of the same village and got active recently after joining militancy folds. Reportedly, after committing the crime, both militants shifted from Litter to Dragad-Shopian.”
However, family of one alleged militant in Shopian encounter refuted police claim. His brother, Mohamad Rafiq said that Shakir left his home at 9:30 in the morning to appear before a court in a royalty related case.
“My brother left his home at 9:30 am, to appear before a court in a case related to Geology and Mining Department. At 12 noon, they called him but no body received phone and later it was switched off’, he said.
However, police said that for the last few years Shakir was working as OGW and was also detained in 2019 for some time in a militancy related case.
Hours after the Dragad encounter in Shopian, two militants including a district commander of Lashkar-e-Toiba for Kulgam district were killed in a brief encounter.
IGP Kashmir Vijay Kumar said that police and Army killed LeT district commander Gulzar Ahmed Reshi of Kulgam and his associate.
“The slain were involved in killing of two non-local labourers in Wanpoh on October 17,” he said.
“One AK-47 rifle and other warlike stores were recovered”, police said.
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