Srinagar: A top Lashkar-e-Toiba commander was among two militants killed in an overnight encounter in south Kashmir’s Shopian district, police said on Monday.
“Acting on specific information about the presence of terrorists in the Check-i-Sidique Khan area of the south Kashmir district, police, 34RR and 178BN CRPF launched a cordon and search operation there at night,” a police spokesman said.
“During the operation, as the presence of terrorists got ascertained, they were given repeated opportunities to surrender,” he said.
They however fired indiscriminately on security forces’ personnel, which was retaliated, leading to an encounter, the spokesman said.
“In the encounter, two terrorists of the proscribed Lashkar-e-Toiba (LeT) were killed and their bodies were retrieved from the site of the encounter,” police spokesman said, adding they have been identified as Ishfaq Ahmad Dar, son of Abdul Rashid Dar, resident of Hafshirmal Shopian, and Majid Iqbal Bhat, son of Mohammad Iqbal Bhat, resident of Melibagh Imamsahab, Shopian.
The spokesman said according to police records, “the killed terrorists were part of groups involved in various terror crime cases and several such cases were registered against them.”
“Dar figured among the list of most wanted terrorists and besides being part of groups involved in several terror crime cases. He was instrumental in planning and executing terror attacks on security establishments, civilian killings and misleading the gullible youth by motivating them to join terrorist folds,” the spokesman said.
“Dar was also involved in killing of four police personnel at Zainapora in December 2018 and killing of two non-local drivers in Chittrigam in Shopian in October 2019,” he said.
“At his behest, two youths namely Asif Lone, a resident of Khudwani in Kulgam and Abdul Rashid Thoker, a resident of Hussanpora in Arwani, joined terrorist ranks,” the spokesman added.
Incriminating material, arms and ammunition, including two AK-47 rifles and eight magazines, were seized from the site of the encounter, the spokesman said.
He said Inspector General of Police (IGP), Kashmir, Vijay Kumar, congratulated the joint team of police and security forces for conducting a successful operation “in a professional manner by neutralising the most wanted terrorists without any collateral damage.”
The IGP said: “As per police records, both the terrorists were involved in various terror related crimes.”
In this connection, police has registered a case under relevant sections of law and investigation has been initiated.
“People are requested to cooperate with police till the area is completely sanitized and cleared of all the explosive materials, if any,” the spokesman said.
