2 militants killed in Pulwama, Srinagar encounters

Srinagar, Oct 15: Two TRF militants were killed in two separate encounters in Pulwama and Srinagar today, police said.

Pulwama encounter

Security forces Friday killed a TRF militant in an encounter in Pulwama district of southern Kashmir, police said. The slain was identified as Shahid Bashir Sheikh, a resident of Srinagar.

The encounter, police said, took place in Wahibug village of Pulwama after J&K Police, 50 Rashtriya Rifles and Central Reserve Police Force cordoned off the area on specific information about the presence of militants.

“Killed #militant has been identified as Shahid Bashir Sheikh of #Srinagar. He was involved in the recent #killing of # civilian (Mohd Safi Dar, PDD Deptt’s staff) on 2/10/21. An AK 47 rifle was used in his killing. One AK rifle along with Mag/Amn recovered (sic),’’ Kashmir Zone Police said in a tweet on Friday evening.

Inspector General of Police, Kashmir, zone, Vijay Kumar said that Shahid was involved in the killing of Muhammad Shafi Dar, a PDD employee of Batamaloo area of Srinagar.

A police handout said: “Today at about 1730hrs based on specific input generated by Police regarding presence of a terrorist in village Wahibug area of Pulwama, a joint cordon and search operation was launched by Police, Army (53RR ) and CRPF in the said area. During the search operation, as the presence of terrorist got ascertained he was given opportunity to surrender, instead he fired indiscriminately upon the joint search party, which was retaliated leading to an encounter.

“In the ensuing encounter, one terrorist identified as Shahid Bashir Sheikh resident of Habba Kadal Srinagar was killed and his body was retrieved from the site of encounter.

“As per police records, he had joined the terror folds recently and was linked with proscribed terror outfit LeT (TRF). He was involved in killing of a civilian Mohammad Shafi Dar (PDD Employee) at Batamaloo Srinagar on 02/10/2021. He was also responsible for creating terror among the locals by threatening, intimidating and killing civilians.”

Meanwhile, the Army in a statement said: “Acting on a specific information about presence of terrorists in general area Wahibug, a joint cordon and search operation was launched today at about 1300h. The cordon was laid around the suspected house and contact was established at about 5:15PM.

“A call for surrender and to lay down arms was made to the terrorist, however the trapped terrorist rejected the surrender offered by the security forces.

“The indiscriminate firing by the terrorist was retaliated to, leading to elimination of the terrorist. An AK rifle and other war-like stores have been recovered from the encounter site.”

Srinagar encounter:

A Lashker-e-Taiba (TRF) militant was today killed in an encounter with security forces in Bemina area, here, police said. The slain, it said, was involved in the killing of Police Sub-Inspector Arshid Ashraf Malik in old Srinagar.

Police said the slain has been identified as Tanzil Ahmad of Srinagar.

“#Encounter has started at #Bemina area of #Srinagar. Srinagar Police on the job. Further details shall follow. @JmuKmrPolice,” Kashmir Zone Police tweeted soon after the encounter.

In the second tweet Police said that Tanzil was involved in killing Police Sub-Inspector Arshid. “#Killer of martyr PSI Arshid killed in #Bemina #encounter: IGP Kashmir @JmuKmrPolice.”

Arshid, a probationary Sub-Inspector of J&K Police had been killed in Khanyar area here in a hit and run militant attack on 13 September this year. The slain Sub Inspector who belonged to 2020-batch, was a resident of Kalmoona in Ramhal belt of Handwara, district Kupwara. He was posted at Police Station Khanyar. The incident had taken place near Gousia Hospital, Khanyar, after militants had opened fire on him from point blank range with a pistol.

Today’s Bemina encounter took place a week after an encounter in Chanpora area of Srinagar in which one militant was killed on 8 Oct.

Earlier, on 23 August, Police in an operation killed two top commanders of The Resistance Force (TRF), an outfit affiliated with the Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT). The militants, Muhammad Abbas Sheikh and Saqib Manzoor Dar, were top LeT commanders, who, the police had claimed, were responsible for carrying out numerous attacks on civilians, lawmakers and security personnel.

It may be mentioned that recently five civilians including three from Kashmiri Pandit community, a Sikh lady and a labourer from Bihar were killed in Srinagar by the gunmen. Police had said that they were shot dead by The Resistance Front (TRF), a group that police say is Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) in disguise.

“After civilian attacks, we started offensive operations. 8 encounters took place & 11 terrorists killed,” IGP Kashmir Vijay Kumar said. “After civilian killings, terrorists in Srinagar city fled to South Kashmir -one killed in Shopian & Shahid, who had killed PDD staff, killed in today’s Pulwama encounter.”

“We once again appeal to parents to bring their wards (recently recruited terrorists) back to family,” IGP said. “We will assist and facilitate.”

Police said in a statement: “Today at about 1855hrs based on specific input generated by Srinagar Police regarding presence of a terrorist in Hamdaniya Colony Bemina area of Srinagar, an operation was launched by Srinagar Police in the said area. During the search operation, as the presence of terrorist got ascertained he was given opportunity to surrender, instead he fired indiscriminately upon the joint search party, which was retaliated leading to an encounter,” police said.

“In the ensuing encounter, one terrorist identified as Tanzeel Ahmad resident of Habba Kadal Srinagar was killed and his body was retrieved from the site of encounter,” police said. “As per police records, he had joined the terror folds recently and was linked with proscribed terror outfit LeT (TRF). He was involved in killing of PSI Arshid Ashraf at Khanyar area of Srinagar on 12/09/2021.”

Quoting IGP Kashmir, statement said: “Besides these two specific killings terrorists Shahid and Tanzil were also collaborators in recent killings of one Chemist and two teachers in city,” police said.

“Incriminating materials including arms (2 AK 47 rifles) & ammunition have been recovered from the site of encounters. All the recovered materials have been taken into case records for further investigation. Police have registered cases in both the incidents under relevant section of law in respective police stations and further investigation is in progress.

“IGP Kashmir appreciated Srinagar police for generating specific input and carrying out anti-terrorist operations in professional manner without any collateral damage in the city,” police said.