Baramulla, Aug 24: Three Lashkar-e-Toiba terrorists were killed in an encounter at Pethseer village of Sopore in Kashmir’s Baramulla district while 6 terrorist associates were nabbed with arms and ammo from Bandipora, police said Tuesday.
An official informed that a joint team of Police, Army 52 RR and CRPF 177,179 and 92 cordoned off the village following inputs about the presence of militants in the area late night Monday. “As the forces zeroed in on the suspected spot, the militants fired at the security forces that was retaliated, triggering an encounter,” the official said.
He said that in the ensuing gunfight initially, one militant was killed and then one more militant was killed. “Early morning, today, one more militant was killed, taking the toll to three,” the official said.
A police spokesman in a statement said that during the intervening night of August 23/24, based on specific input generated by Police regarding presence of militants in Pethseer area of Sopore, a joint cordon and search operation was launched by Sopore Police, Army (52RR) and CRPF in the said area.
“During the search operation as the presence of militants got ascertained, they were given opportunity to surrender, however, instead they fired indiscriminately upon the joint search party which was retaliated leading to an encounter,” the police spokesman said, adding that “However due to darkness the operation was suspended, while the cordon was kept intact. In the wee hours, repeated announcements were again made to the hiding militants to surrender, but the militants again fired on joint search party and the fire was retaliated.”
The spokesman said that in the ensuing encounter, three militants were killed and their bodies were retrieved from the site of encounter. “They have been identified as Faisal Fayaz son of Fayaz Ah Thokar, resident of Kapren Shopian, Gh Mustafa Sheikh son of Abdul Ahad Sheikh resident of Tekipura, Kupwara and Rameez Ah Ghanie son of Ab Majeed Ghanie resident of Zipor Dharamati, Shopian, affiliated with LeT (TRF),” the spokesman said.
The police spokesman said that incriminating materials, arms and ammunition including one AK-47 rifle and two Pistols were recovered from the site of encounter.
Inspector General of Police Kashmir range, Vijay Kumar said that due to the collective efforts of J&K Police, Army, CRPF & people of Kashmir have led to neutralisation of more than 100 militants in the current year so far in Kashmir division. The IGP termed it as a big success and congratulated security forces including army and the CRPF.
Meanwhile, Jammu and Kashmir police on Tuesday have arrested six alleged terror associates with the Lashkar-e-Tobia militant outfit and recovered incriminating material from their possession in Pathkoot area of Kashmir’s Bandipora district.
An official informed that acting on a specific input about anti- national activity in the general area of Bandipora, a Lashkar-e-Toiba module was busted by joint forces in which six alleged terrorists have been arrested.
“Incriminating arms and ammunition have been recovered from their possession which includes two live hand grenades, two detonators,15 AK series rounds , two matrix sheets and other materials, ” he said.
He said that arrested terrorists have been identified as Muzaffar Mohiuddin Lone, Mohammad Amin Lone, Rizwan Qadir Lone, Imtiyaz Ahmad Lone, Javaid Ahmed Lone and Mohammad Saleem Khan.
“On preliminary enquiry, it was revealed that the accused were associated with militant outfit LeT and were providing shelter, logistics and other material support to active militants of LeT in Bandipora district,” police official said.
“In this regard Case FIR under relevant sections of law has been registered and further investigation has been taken up,” he said.
Meanwhile, security forces busted a terrorist hideout in the forest area of Aloosa Bandipora and seized arms, ammunition.
An official said that based on specific information, Army’s 26-Assam Rifles unit launched a cordon-and-search operation following which the hideout was found in Nagmarg forest area of Aloosa.
He said that during searches a huge cache of arms and ammunition, including 10 UBGL rounds and two chinese grenades and other incriminating material.
The official said that a case under relevant sections of laws has been registered and further has been taken up in this regard.
