KO File Photo
Both Were Involved In Attacks On Migrant Workers: Police
Srinagar- Two militants involved in attacks on migrant labourers were killed in an overnight encounter with government forces in south Kashmir’s Pulwama district, police said Thursday.
Al-Badr militants Aijaz Hafiz of Dalipora and Shahid Ayoub of Dheeri Murran in Pulwama were killed in an overnight encounter that broke out on Wednesday evening when police, army’s 44RR and CRPF launched a joint cordon and search operation in Mitrigam village of the district, a police spokesperson said Thursday.
As per police records, he said, both the killed militants were categorized and part of groups involved in a series of “terror crimes” including attacks on Police, security forces and “civilian atrocities”. He said that both the killed militants were involved in series of recent attacks on outside labourers in Pulwama.
Giving details, the spokesperson said that Hafiz was involved in firing upon migrant workers Sonu Sharma of Pathankote at Yadder, Mohammad Akram of Bijnor UP at Arihal and Wishwajeet Kumar of Banka Bihar at Circular Road Gangoo in the Pulwama district.
Hafiz, he said, was also involved in firing upon bank guard namely Ab Hamid Wani of Tahab and Sarpanch Gh Nabi Kumar at Arihal.
Besides, the spokesperson said that Hafiz was instrumental in recruiting his killed associate Shahid Ayoub into militant ranks.
Ayoub, he said, was involved in firing upon two outside labourers Patlashwar Kumar and Joko Choudary, both residents of Bihar at Lajoora Pulwama.
Before joining militant ranks, Ayoub, according to the spokesperson, was working as a militant associate & was involved in several other “terror crimes”.
Divulging the details of overnight encounter, the spokesperson said that the hiding militants opened fire upon the search team when they started proceeding towards the suspected spot.
“In the initial exchange of fire, one security force personnel received gunshot injuries. He was immediately evacuated to hospital for treatment of his injuries. However, the operation was halted to ensure safe evacuation of all the civilians trapped around the encounter site. Moreover, all due precautions were also taken to avoid any collateral damage,” he said.
After evacuation of civilians was done, the spokesperson said, the operation was resumed and in the exchange of fire both militants were killed and their bodies were retrieved from the site of encounter.
“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, 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.
The spokesperson quoted IGP Kashmir terming the operation as a big success and congratulating the joint forces for neutralizing the militants involved in the recent attacks on outside labourers.
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