Srinagar: Three militants, including a deputy commander of banned Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT), were killed in an encounter with security forces in south Kashmir’s Pulwama district on Sunday, police said.
While the deputy commander of the LeT was identified as Arif Hazar alias Rehan, the identities of the other two slain militants are being ascertained, they said.
Based on specific inputs about the presence of militants in the Pahoo area of Pulwama in south Kashmir, a joint cordon and search operation was launched by police and Army’s 50RR in the said area, police spokesman said in a statement.
He said during the search operation, “as the search party proceeded towards the suspected spot, the hiding terrorists fired indiscriminately upon the search party which was retaliated effectively leading to an encounter. Later on CRPF also joined the operation.”
In the ensuing encounter, three militants linked with proscribed outfit LeT were killed and their bodies were retrieved from the site of encounter.
The slain militants have been identified as “Arif Ahmad Hazar alias Rehan (deputy of LeT’s top commander Basit), Abu Huzaifa alias Haqqani (Pakistani terrorist) and Natish Wani alias Haider resident of Khanyar, Srinagar,” police spokesman said.
He said “as per police records all the killed terrorists were part of groups involved in several terror crime cases including attacks on Police/SFs and civilian atrocities.”
Spokesman said Arif Hazar was a “categorized terrorist, active since March 2021 and involved in several terror crime cases including attacks on police, security forces and civilian atrocities besides, several cases were registered against him in Srinagar city.
“He was involved in killing of Inspector Parvez in front of mosque at Menganwari Nowgam on June 22, 2021, killing of PSI Arshid Ahmad Mir near PS Khanyar on September 12, 2021, killing of police personnel Javaid Ahmad at Saidapora Eidgah on June 17, 2021, killing of mobile shop owner Umar Nazir Bhat at Main Chowk Habba Kadal on June 23, 2021, killing of civilian Mohammad Shafi Dar at SD Colony Batamaloo, killing of civilian Rouf Ahmad Khan outside his house at Mejinpora Safakadal on December 22, 2021. Besides, he was also involved in grenade attacks on police party at Safakadal and joint Naka party at Rainawari,” police spokesman said.
Moreover, “he alongwith his associates was also involved in an attack on BJP leader’s residence at Aribagh, Nowgam Srinagar. In this terror attack one police personnel Rameez Raja was killed and his service rifle was also snatched. He was also involved in attack on two outside labourers at Suthsoo Kalan area of Nowgam on April 22, 2022,” police spokesman added.
He said incriminating materials, arms and ammunition were recovered from the site of encounter. All the recovered materials have been taken into case records for further investigation.
In this regard, a case under relevant sections of law has been registered and investigation has been initiated. “People are requested to cooperate with Police till the area at encounter site is completely sanitized and cleared of all the explosive materials, if any,” spokesman said.
Pakistani militants killed in Kulgam encounter identified
The two Pakistani militants of the Jaish-e-Mohammad (JeM) outfit, who were killed in an encounter with security forces in Kulgam district of south Kashmir on Saturday, have been identified and were active since 2018, police said on Sunday.
“The killed JeM #terrorists have been identified as Sultan Pathan & Zabiullah, both residents of #Pakistan. They were #categorised terrorists & active since year 2018 in the areas of #Kulgam-#Shopian districts,” Inspector General of Police (IGP), Kashmir, Vijay Kumar, wrote on Twitter.
Kumar said incriminating materials, arms and ammunition, including two AK rifles, seven AK magazines and nine grenades were recovered from their possession.
The encounter took place after security forces had launched a cordon and search operation based on specific inputs regarding presence of militants in Mirhama area of Kulgam on Saturday.
Separately, police spokesman in a statement said that Sultan Pathan and Zabiullah, “both residents of Pakistan and linked with JeM, were ‘A’ category terrorists active since year 2018 in the areas of Kulgam and Shopian districts. Both the killed terrorists had a history of terror crime cases including attacks on police, security forces, abduction of security personnel, civilian atrocities, IED attacks and weapon looting. Besides, they were also instrumental in recruitment of gullible youth into terror folds.”
Incriminating materials, arms and ammunition including two AK series rifles, seven AK series magazines, nine grenades, two pouches and cash ₹7000 were recovered from the site of encounter.
“All these materials have been taken into case records for further investigation and to probe their complicity in other terror crimes,” police spokesman said.
He said a case vide FIR No. 51/2022 under relevant sections of law has been registered in Police Station Kulgam 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.
