KO File Photo
Srinagar- Four recently joined militants were killed in an encounter with government forces in Shopian district of South Kashmir, police said Thursday.
A joint team of police and army’s 44RR launched a cordon and search operation in Badigam, Zainapora on Wednesday on the basis of specific input about the presence of militants in the village, a police spokesperson said.
As the search party proceeded towards the suspected spot, the militants present fired indiscriminately upon them, police spokesman said.
The joint search party retaliated to the fire leading to an encounter. He said the CRPF personnel also joined the operation.
In the ensuing encounter, the spokesperson said, four local militants affiliated with the Lashkar-e-Taiba were killed.
He identified the killed militants as Aaqib Farooq Thoker, Waseem Ahmed Thoker, both residents of Heffkhuri and Farooq Ahmad Bhat and Shouqeen Ahmad Mir, both residents of Sugan in Shopian district.
As per police records, the spokesperson said, all the killed militants were categorized and part of groups involved in several cases including attacks on Police, security forces and “civilian atrocities”.
While interacting with ANI, the IGP Kashmi, Vijay Kumar said that killed militants were active in Shopian and adjacent areas of Pulwama.
“They were involved in 6 terror crimes including attacks on outside labourers. Killed terrorist Aaqib Farooq Thoker was involved in snatching of 12 Bore Rifle from JK bank guard Murran TP branch in which the bank guard Abdul Hamid Wani of Tahab got injured. He was also involved in Case FIRs 25/2022 & 26/2022 of PS Litter pertaining to attack on driver namely Deeraj Dutt resident of Pathankot and cleaners namely Surinder Singh and Sonu Sharma, both residents of Pathankot at Nowpora and Yadar respectively in which they got injured,” Kumar said, as per the spokesperson.
He further said that the IGP congratulated the joint forces for conducting a successful operation without any collateral damage.
“IGP said that hunt for their associates like Aijaz of Pulwama is on and they will be neutralised soon. Incriminating materials, arms & ammunition were recovered from the site of encounter. All the recovered materials have been taken into case records for further investigation,” he said.
In this regard, the spokesperson said, a case under relevant sections of law has been registered and investigation has been initiated.
“People are requested to cooperate with Police till the area at encounter site is completely sanitized and cleared of all the explosive materials, if any,” he added.
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