Srinagar: Two Pakistani Lashkar-e-Taiba militants involved in the April 04 attack on CRPF personnel in Maisuma area of the city, were killed while three security personnel were injured in an encounter here on Sunday, police said.
“Police was tracking both the Pakistani terrorists from the day of the attack on the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) men on April 4, and the operation was launched on Sunday after pinpointing their location,” Inspector General of Police (IGP), Kashmir, Vijay Kumar said.
A police spokesman said at about 10:50 am, “on specific input generated by Srinagar Police regarding the presence of terrorists in Bishembar Nagar area of the city, a cordon and search operation was launched by the police and Valley QAT CRPF there.”
He said as the search party proceeded towards the suspect spot, “the hiding terrorists fired indiscriminately upon search parties which was retaliated, leading to an encounter. In the initial exchange of fire, one terrorist was killed.”
Keeping in view the tourist movement and huge rush in the area, “police and CRPF exercised maximum restraint and carried out the operation in a professional manner to avoid any civilian causality,” the spokesman said.
“During the course of evacuation of civilians, the trapped terrorist hurled a grenade, resulting in minor splinter injuries to two policemen and a CRPF personnel who were shifted to hospital for treatment of their injuries,” he said.
“The operation was resumed and in the ensuing encounter, another hiding terrorist was killed and bodies of both the killed terrorists were recovered from the site of the encounter,” the spokesman said.
Both the killed militants were Pakistanis and identified as Mohammad Bhai alias Abu Qasim, alias Mir Shoaib alias Mudassir, and Abu Arsalan alias Khalid alias Aadil.
According to police records, both were ‘A’ categorised and linked with proscribed outfit LeT.
While Mohammad Bhai was active since 2019, Abu Arsalan was active since year 2021 in Central Kashmir.
“Both the killed terrorists had a history of terror crime cases, including pistol-borne attacks and grenade throwing incidents. They were also involved in an attack on CRPF personnel on April 04 in Maisuma area in which one CRPF personnel was killed and another got injured,” he said.
The spokesman said both the killed militants were carrying fake Aadhaar cards to conceal their identity.
Meanwhile, IGP Kumar told reporters near the encounter site that the killing of the two militants is a huge success for the police and CRPF.
“I want to give a message that whoever attacks innocent police personnel, civilians or journalists or anyone, be it a Pakistani or a local terrorist, he will be neutralised,” he said.
The Valley’s police chief said the Srinagar operation is “one of the best examples of how investigation of a terror crime case leads to an anti-terrorist operation.”
This surely is a big success for Srinagar Police, the IGP Kashmir said.
Asked about seizing of properties of those who harbour militants, the IGP said the process will continue and the house in which Sunday’s encounter took place will also be seized.
Kumar said there is a decline in the number of militants in the Kashmir Valley and the police, Army and CRPF will work on reducing the number further.
He said security force personnel were a soft target for militants, but the forces were giving a befitting response to them.
“Our jawans who are deployed in lanes or localities are a soft target. Terrorists come with their pistols concealed and it is easy for them to attack. But, we are giving them a befitting reply,” the IGP added. (With PTI inputs)
