Pulwama, Jun 26: A militant of Ansar Ghazwut-ul-Hind (AGH) was killed in early morning gunfight with security forces in Branpatri forest area of Tral in south Kashmir’s Pulwama district on Wednesday, said police.
A police spokesperson said that following credible tip-off about the presence of militants in the Branpatri forest area, a cordon and search operation was launched by mixed column of Army’s 42RR, CRPF and SOG of J&K Police.
“As the forces ring-fenced the suspected area and initiated searches, hiding militants fired upon forces which they retaliated, leading to an encounter,” the spokesperson said.
He said following the-gun battle one militant body was retrieved from the encounter site. Police identified the slain militant as Shabir Ahamad Malik of Nagbal village of Tral, and said that he was affiliated with AGH.
The police spokesman also said that Malik was initially affiliated with proscribed militant group Lashkar-e-Toiba and later switched over Zakir Musa led AGH group.
Shabir, as per police records, was wanted by law for his complicity in several cases including attack on security establishments and “civilian atrocities”.
“He was part of groups responsible for planning and executing attacks in the area. Several cases were registered against him including case FIR No. 43/15 of Police Station Trikuta Nagar pertaining to the planning and making preparations for carrying out attacks in Jammu,” police spokesperson said.
He said today’s encounter was a “clean operation, with no collateral damage taking place.”
Incriminating materials including arms and ammunition was recovered from the site of encounter. All these materials have been taken in the case records for further investigation and to probe their complicity in other cases, spokesperson said, adding that people are requested to cooperate with police till the area is completely sanitized and cleared of all the explosives materials, if any.
A police official said that according to police records, Malik had joined militant ranks in August 2018 with LeT outfit, and after joining AGH, he was assigned to be the outfit’s spokesperson after the killing of Zakir Musa on May 23 this year.
After medico-legal formalities, body of the slain militant was handed over to his family for last rites, police said.
In the wake of gunfight, mobile Internet service was suspended in police district Awantipora as a “precautionary measure”.
3 youth injured in Tral clashes
Srinagar, Jun 26: Three youth suffered pellet injuries during clashes with the security forces at Nagbal in Tral township of south Kashmir’s Pulwama district on Wednesday.
As per sources, a group of youths pelted the vehicles of security forces with stones soon after a gunfight broke out in Tral forests that left a militant dead.
All three were shifted to Sub District Hospital Tral wherefrom one of them with eye injuries was referred to SMHS Hospital in Srinagar for advanced treatment.
