In back to back operations in less than 24 hours, J&K Police and security forces have killed five of the three militants operating in Srinagar city: DGP Dilbagh Singh
BUNTY MAHAJAN
JAMMU, OCTOBER 16: Two Lashkar-e-Toiba militants were killed in a joint encounter by Army, CRPF and J&K Police on Saturday in South Kashmir’s Drangbal area in Pampore.
The slain militants included the most wanted LeT commander Umar Mushtaq Khandey who was involved in several terror crimes including killing of two policemen sometime back, said Director General of J&K Police Dilbagh Singh. The other slain militant has been identified as Shahid Khurshid of Srinagar city and he was involved in recent civilian killings in the city, he added.
After civilian killings, Shahid Khurshid and Shahid Bashir, both Srinagar, had shifted to Pulwama district and Mukhtar of Ganderbal to Shopian district. With the killing of all the three militants in encounters during less than 24 hours, now only two militants have been left out in Srinagar city including Mehran and Wasim, DGP said.
The police and security forces have killed 13 militants of Let and The Resistance Front in nine encounters during the last nine days.
However, the militants have killed seven civilians in Kashmir and seven armymen in Jammu’s Poonch district during the current month.
Meanwhile, Inspector General of Police for Kashmir, Vijay Kumar said that Khandey was categorized as “A++’’ category militant. “We are committed to hunting down these terrorists who try to create fear among masses and spread mischief and tumult in the valley. Such elements and their names should be excised from the society”, said the IGP.
Meanwhile, heavily armed terrorists abducted a civilian Shakeel Ahmad Sofi from Niloora village in the Pulwama district. Shakeel is a brother of a terrorist who was recently arrested from the village.
In Jammu division’s border Poonch district, Para Special Forces of the Army have joined the counter-terrorists operation in the Poonch district of Jammu that entered the sixth day on Saturday with so far martyrdom of seven soldiers. However, no militant has so far been killed so far.
The encounter that started on October 10 near the Dera-ki-Gali (DKG) in Surankot has stretched long with the terrorists shifting their hideout in the dense forest area. Five soldiers, including a JCO, were killed in an ambush on the first day of the encounter. Two soldiers from Uttrakhand, 26-year-old Rifleman Vikram Singh Negi and 27-year-old Rifleman Yogambar Singh were killed near the Nar Khas forest area of Mendhar on Thursday evening.
A Junior Commissioned Officer (JCO) is also reported to be missing and efforts are being made to trace him. Army helicopters and drones were trying to spot the terrorists who are believed to be Pakistanis and have infiltrated through the Line of Control (LOC).
The Army established contact with terrorists thrice but they managed to escape. The latest location of terrorists was at Bhata Dhurian village in Mendhar along the Rajouri–Poonch highway. The highway has been shut for civilian traffic.
The continuing gunfight indicates that the terrorists were heavily armed and were carrying a good amount of ammunition.
Meanwhile, the J&K DGP Dilbag Singh reviewed the security in a high-level meeting in Srinagar. He ordered further strengthening of the intelligence network as well as security grids.
