Trio were locals, they refused repeated surrender offers: Police: One among slain was involved in Aribagh attack in which cop was killed: IGP Kashmir Vijay Kumar, 46 militants killed this year so far, reveal figures
ANANTNAG: Three local militants affiliated with Lashkar-e Toiba militant organization were killed in an encounter in South Kashmir’s Anantnag Southern Kashmir on Tuesday
A senior police officer told news agency—Kashmir News Observer (KNO), that three local militants were killed in Vailoo area of Kokernag belt in South Kashmir’s Anantnag district.
He said that militants repudiated repeated surrender offers given to them by security forces.
The officer said that in wee hours of Tuesday, joint team of Police, Army’s 19 RR and CRPF launched a Cordon and Search Operation (CASO) on specific information about the presence of militants in the area.
He said that as the joint team of forces approached towards the suspected spot, the hiding militants fired upon them, which was retaliated, triggering an encounter.
Pertinently, 46 militants have been killed so far in Jammu and Kashmir this year and most of them belong to South Kashmir.
IGP Kashmir Vijay Kumar “congratulated police and security forces for conducting successful operation without any collateral damage.” IGP also appeals to parents to bring their wards into mainstream.
Talking to KNO, the IGP Kashmir said that one of the slain militant Ubaid Shafi was involved in Aribagh militant attack which was carried out by LeT on the house of a BJP leader on April 1. “In that attack, a police man was killed,” he said.
POLICE STATEMENT: A police spokesman in a statement said that today 4 am, Anantnag Police while acting on specific input regarding presence of three militants in a residential house at village Sheikhpora, Vailoo area of Kokernag, a joint cordon and search operation was launched by Police, 19RR and CRPF in the area.
“During the search operation, as the presence of terrorists got ascertained they were given an opportunity to surrender, however they fired indiscriminately upon the joint search party which was retaliated leading to an encounter,” the statement said, adding that “The joint teams also rescued all the civilians trapped in the gunfire and halted the operation for the time to ensure safety and safe evacuation of people from the area of gunfight.”
He said that after ensuring all the civilians are safe, the operation was resumed and all the terrorists were eliminated in the ensuing encounter. “Bodies of the killed militants were retrieved from the site of encounter and they have been identified as Ilyas Ahmad Dar alias Sameer resident of Danwathpora Kokernag, Ubaid Shafi alias Abdullah , a resident of Batamaloo Srinagar and Aqib Ahmad Lone alias Sahil resident of Khandaypora, Kulgam,” the statement said.
He said that as per police records, all the slain militants were linked with LeT and part of the groups involved in several crime cases including attacks on security forces and security establishments.
It is pertinent to mention that militant Ubaid Shafi was part of the militant group involved in carrying out the terrorist attack at Aaribagh area of Nowgam Srinagar on 01/04/2021 in which one Constable Rameez Ahmad was killed.
“Arms & ammunition including 01 AK-47 rifle, 02 pistols and incriminating materials have also been 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 statement said.
The last rites of the killed militants shall be performed after conducting medico-legal formalities and the nearest family members of local militant shall be allowed to participate in the last rites, the statement said, adding that 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,” he said.