Srinagar, Feb 05: Two militants and a CRPF personnel were killed in a gunbattle on the outskirts of Srinagar city on Wednesday, police said.
The encounter broke out after three motorcycle-borne militants opened fire on Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) personnel posted at a mobile checking unit in Shalteng in Parampora, officials said.
CRPF trooper Ramesh Ranjan died after being injured in the attack, a spokesperson of the paramilitary force said.
Security forces retaliated and killed two militants, he said, adding that the third militant, who was injured, was captured when he was trying to flee from the spot.
Inspector General of Police (IGP), Kashmir Zone, Vijay Kumar, said the slain militants have been identified as Zia Ur Rehman of the Lashkar-e-Taiba and Khateeb of the Hizbul Mujahideen.
The captured militant is Umar Fayyaz of the Islamic State Jammu and Kashmir (ISJK), he said.
The trio was involved in several acts of militancy and several FIRs were registered against them, Kumar said, adding this incident shows that militant outfits are working in tandem.
The CRPF spokesperson said there was information that militants would try to carry out strikes at security installations in Kashmir ahead of the seventh death anniversary of Parliament attack convict Mohammad Afzal Guru.
Security personnel had been asked to remain on high alert from February 08 to February 14 as Afzal Guru was hanged on February 09 in 2013, JKLF founder Maqbool Bhat was hanged on February 11 in 1984 and February 14 is the anniversary of the 2019 Pulwama attack, he said.
Briefing the media about the operation, Director General of Police (DGP) Dilbagh Singh asserted that the three militants had “definitely come with a plan to carry out some action”.
“Their (militants) pistols were cocked (ready to fire) as soon as they were flagged down by the CRPF jawan. The second pillion opened fire on CRPF personnel as soon as he got down. In spite of being hit in the head, the jawan retaliated.
“Other personnel also retaliated, resulting in the killing of two terrorists and the capturing the other,” Singh said.
He said there were prior inputs that militants might carry out attacks and the security grid was prepared to face the challenge.
