Missing Kangan youth arrested
Fayaz Bukhari
SRINAGAR, May 3: Three Hizbul Mujahideen militants including the lone surviving militant of Burhan Wani’s group were killed in gun battle that broke out in Imam Sahab area of South Kashmir’s Shopian district.
The encounter took place just two days before the district would go to polls on May 6. A soldier was also injured in the initial exchange of firing while as teenager sustained injuries in clashes after the encounter was over.
Security forces last night cordoned off Adkhara village of Imam Sahab area of Shopian after specific inputs about presence of three Hizbul Mujahideen militants in the area. During searches when the forces zeroed in on the suspected house, the hiding militants opened fire indiscriminately resulting in an injury to a soldier.
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The firing was retaliated and in the ensuing encounter two militants were killed. The third militant remained silent for some time and later opened fire on the troops which prolonged the operation. One soldier, Yugendar Kumar, was also injured in the encounter. He was evacuated to hospital and is undergoing medical treatment.
The killed militants have been identified as Moulvi Tariq, Shariq Ahmed Nengrooa and Lateef Ahmed alias Lateef Tiger. Tiger was only surviving militant of the Burhan Wani group. Burhan was killed on July 8, 2016 in village Bomdooru of Kokernag area of Anantnag district. The killing led to widespread protests in that year.
A police spokesman said that as per their records, Lateef had a long history of militancy records since 2014 and was involved in planning and executing several attacks in the area. Several cases were registered against him.
Similarly, Tariq also had a long history of militancy records and was involved in several attacks. Several cases were registered against him. He was part of groups involved in planning and executing attacks on the security establishments in the area. He was instrumental in luring youth to join militancy. Moreover, he was involved in several weapon snatching cases reported from the area. Shariq was also involved in several militant attacks.
“Incriminating material including arms and ammunition were recovered from the site of encounter. Police has registered a case. All these incriminating materials have been taken in case records to probe their complicity in other terror crimes”, police said.
Defence spokesman in Srinagar, Colonel Rajesh Kalia said that three militants were killed in the encounter.
Soon after the gunfight was over, massive clashes broke in the area with youth pelting security forces with the stones resulting in the pellet injuries to 14 youth while as another one was hit by a bullet in his leg.
And in the meantime, police in Handwara today arrested a person along with arms and ammunition, who was reportedly missing from Kangan.
“On a credible input, Handwara police along with security forces intercepted a person at a checkpoint near Chowgal and took him into custody. Incriminating materials including arms and ammunition were recovered from his possession”, police said.
“The arrested person has been identified as Shafat Yousuf Malik son of Mohammad Yousuf Malik, resident of Thune, Kangan of district Ganderbal. It is learnt that he was provided with arms and ammunition by a terror group and was on way to join proscribed terror outfit HM. As such, he has been restrained from joining the terror outfit. A case FIR No. 87/2019 under relevant Sections of law has been registered at police station Handwara. Further investigation into the matter is going on”, police said.
Militants hurled a grenade on Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF)deployed on election duty in Pulwama area of South Kashmir this evening.
Meanwhile, militants hurled a grenade on 238th battalion of CRPF who are deployed inside Central High School Washbugh Pulwama. The grenade exploded near the gate of the school without causing any damage.
And authorities today flew a police constable, who was injured in a militant attack in Srinagar last month, to New Delhi’s IMS for specialized treatment.
Constable Feroz Ahmad, was today airlifted to New Delhi’s IMS hospital for specialized treatment from the SKIMS, Soura, where he was referred on last month after being injured in a militant attack in Chhanapora Srinagar.
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