Srinagar: Two Lashkar-e-Taiba terrorists, including a Pakistani national, were killed in an encounter with security forces in Srinagar, police said on Tuesday.
“Two terrorists of banned terror outfit LeT were neutralised by Srinagar Police in an encounter in Bemina area of Srinagar city. One policeman sustained minor injuries in the operation,” a police official said.
The ‘chance encounter’ took place late Monday night.
Giving details, police spokesman in a statement said that “acting on specific information regarding the movement of terrorists in Bemina area of Srinagar, who had earlier escaped from an encounter in Sopore and were being tracked continuously, Srinagar Police established a special ‘naka’ (checkpoint) in Bemina near JVC Bemina.
“During checking, two suspects while approaching the said naka were challenged by the police party, to which these suspects’ (terrorists) started indiscriminate firing upon the said naka party. The fire was retaliated, leading to a brief encounter,” police spokesman said.
He said in the initial exchange of fire, five police personnel received minor injuries who were immediately evacuated to hospital for the treatment of their injuries.
“In the ensuing brief encounter, two terrorists were killed and their bodies were retrieved from the site of encounter,” spokesman said.
He said as per the incriminating materials including documents recovered from the possession of the slain militants, they have been identified as Abdullah Goujri, resident of Faisalabad Pakistan and Adil Hussain Mir alias Sufian alias Musab, a resident of Anantnag.
“Both linked with proscribed terror outfit LeT,” spokesman said.
He said Adil Hussain Mir had crossed over to Pakistan in 2018 on a visit VISA from Wagah.
While interacting with media, Inspector General of Police (IGP), Kashmir zone, Vijay Kumar said that “Pakistan-based terror handlers had sent two Pakistani LeT terrorists along with Adil Hussain, a resident of Pahalgam area, with the directions to carry out attacks on Amarnath Yatra. However, all the three terrorists have been killed now in two separate encounters i.e; one at Sopore and in today’s brief encounter at Bemina, Srinagar.”
IGP Kashmir said “it is a big success for us as they were planning to attack Amarnath Yatra, however, the prompt and timely action by the police led to the elimination of both the terrorists and thereby averting the possible major threat.”
Police spokesman said incriminating materials, arms and ammunition including two AK-47 rifles, 10 magazines, 165 live cartridges, Y-SMS device, Matrix sheets, Pakistani medicines, etc., were recovered from the site of encounter. All the recovered materials have been taken into case records for further investigation and to probe their complicity in other terror crimes.
In this connection, police have 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 off of all the explosive materials, if any,” spokesman said.
Meanwhile, a fresh encounter broke out between security forces and militants in Kulgam district of south Kashmir on Tuesday afternoon, police said.
The gunfight took place in the Mishipora area of the south Kashmir district, a police official said.
The exchange of fire was going on, he said, adding there were no reports of any casualty on either side so far.
Local news agency KNO quoted officials as saying that after the initial exchange of fire, no fresh contact was established with the hiding militants.
“More reinforcements have been rushed to the spot, lights installed and cordon layers further tightened in the whole area and search operation is underway in the area,” they said.
More details of this encounter were awaited while this report was being written.
