Srinagar: A Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) militant was killed in an encounter with security forces in south Kashmir’s Shopian district on Friday, police said.
“A cordon-and-search operation was launched at Rakhama village in the district in the morning following information about the presence of terrorists in the area,” a police spokesperson said.
“During the search operation, as the presence of the terrorist was ascertained, he was given an opportunity to surrender. He instead fired indiscriminately upon the joint search party, which was retaliated, leading to an encounter,” he said.
In the ensuing gunfight, “the terrorist, identified as Mujeeb Lone, son of Muhammad Amin Lone, a resident of Redwani Bala Kulgam, was killed, and his body was retrieved from the site of the encounter,” the spokesman said.
As per police records, “he had joined the terror fold recently and was linked with proscribed terror outfit LeT,” he said.
“He (Lone) was responsible for creating terror among the locals and had been coercing innocent citizens to sympathise with anti-national elements,” the official added.
The spokesperson said incriminating materials and arms and ammunition, including a pistol and a magazine, were recovered.
All the retrieved materials have been taken into case records for further investigation and to probe their complicity in other cases, he said.
Meanwhile, separately two more LeT militants were as arrested in Pulwama and Shopian districts while three associates of the same outfit were also arrested in Kulgam district, police said.
The “categorised” militant arrested in Pulwama has been identified as Shamim Sofi, son of Ghulam Mohammad Sofi of Nikloora area, a police official said.
He said Sofi is affiliated with the LeT.
Incriminating material, including arms and ammunition, have been recovered from his possession, the official said.
Another LeT militant was arrested in Shopian district.
“On a specific input regarding the movement of terrorists and their planning to attack security forces, a joint checkpoint was established at Mujhmarg Junction,” the police spokesman said.
He said a suspicious person was intercepted who on seeing the search party tried to flee but was apprehended.
“He has been identified as Kamran Bashir Hajam, an active terrorist of proscribed terror outfit LeT,” the spokesman.
One hand-grenade and 29 rounds of 7.62 mm caliber pistol were recovered from his possession, he said.
Security forces also arrested three “overground workers” of LeT outfit from Kulgam district of south Kashmir.
The arrested persons were identified as Abid Mushtaq, Aadil Jamal Bhat and Danish Rasool Bhat, all residents of Tral area in Pulwama district, an official said.
Security forces, during checking at a vehicle checkpoint at Mir Bazar in Kulgam, apprehended the three associates of LeT, who were travelling in a car and on a motorcycle, he said.
Four hand-grenades, four detonators, one IED, one IED wire, one AK-47 short rifle, one magazine and 30 pistol rounds were recovered from their possession, he added.
