‘He is on ventilator, his condition is critical’
ANANTNAG: A local militant was arrested in an injured condition during an encounter that broke out between security forces and militants in Sangam area of Anantnag district of South Kashmir on Thursday.
An official told news agency— Kashmir News Observer (KNO) that during encounter at Gund Baba Khaleel area of Sangam, Anantnag, a local militant was arrested in an injured condition.
“The arrested militant was identified as Zaheer Abbas Lone, a resident of Pulwama,” the official said. Kashmir zone police wrote on twitter handle, that, “Encounter started between militants & police/security forces at Gund Baba Khaleel, #Anantnag today early morning. One local HM #militant Zaheer Abbas Lone r/o Pulwama #arrested in injured condition & shifted to hospital.”
A police spokesman in a statement to KNO said that on a specific input, Police and security forces during the intervening night of 16/17 established a checkpoint at Sangam, Naina road near Gund Baba Khaleel area of district Anantnag.
“During checking, two suspected persons riding a motorcycle were signaled to stop. However, the pillion rider fired upon the joint party in order to escape from the spot. The fire was retaliated, leading to a brief encounter, in which an active militant got injured while the motorcyclist managed to escape from the spot. After receiving gunshot injuries, the militant was arrested by the joint party and shifted to hospital for treatment,” the spokesman said.
He has been identified as Zaheer Abbas Lone resident of Pulwama, affiliated with militant outfit Hizbul Mujahideen. “Incriminating materials including arms & ammunition 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 crimes,” the spokesman said. In this connection a case under relevant sections of law has been registered and investigation has been initiated.
Meanwhile, hospital sources told KNO that the militant has been put on a ventilator and his condition continues to be critical. “The only update is that he is breathing,” they said.