FAHEEM ASLAM

Srinagar, Nov 30: Police Tuesday rebutted as “imagination” the comments by a Member Parliament from north Kashmir that the three persons gunned down in a shootout here on Monday were killed in “cold blood,” claiming that the trio “worked for the militant outfit, Jaish-e-Muhammad.”
“We cannot control imaginary thoughts or views of anybody. All of you know that our brave boy has died in the encounter. The encounter took place in broad daylight in full public view,” said the Director General of Police, Kuldeep Khoda in response to Member Parliament, Sharif-ud-Din Shariq’s assertion that the killing of the three persons at Qamarwari yesterday was a “cold-blooded murder.”
Giving details about the shootout, Khoda said “police’s quick investigation” has revealed that the three persons killed were “militants who were working for a Jaish module headed by Waseem Raja Guru.” “The rented accommodation of one Arshid Bashir was used as a hideout. The module was also involved in the killing of two CRPF men on November 10 this year at Pattan,” Khoda told a jam-packed news conference here.
The police chief was flanked by the Inspector General of Police, Kashmir Range, SM Sahai and Senior Superintendent of Police, Srinagar, and Syed Ashiq Bukhari.
“Waseem Raja Guru had gone for training across the border in 1991 and returned in 1994. He was working as Battalion Commander of JeM outfit in Sopore. He was booked under the Public Safety Act in 2007 and was released in 2008. He, however, recycled, and remained active since 2008. He was categorized as ‘A’ category JeM militant in 2009,” Khoda said.
About Zahoor Ahmad Hajam of Bandipora, Khoda said the “militant was aged about 30 and was a local trained militant affiliated with Al-Badar outfit in the code name of Tanveer and Imran.” “He was arrested on 23.08.2004 by the troops of 15 Rashtriya Rifles at Bandipora. On the instance of the militant another militant Hilal Ahmad Shah of Hospital Road Bandipora was also apprehended. A case against FIR No 170/2004 U/S 7/25 was registered against the duo,” Khoda said.
“The militant was detained under PSA for about one and a half year in 2004. After graduation from a private college, he did his B.Ed from Mehboob-ul-Alam College Bandipora in 2008-09. The militant was also working as a teacher in a private school at Bandipora and had left his job some two months back. As per the family sources he left his home on 19 November 2010 and has not returned. He was involved in instigating 2008 agitation.”
About Arshad Bashir, Khoda said he had passed class 12th in 2010 and had got admission in Degree College Bemina. “He had close links with the militant organizations and his house was raided in 2009 by police and Army for the presence of JeM militants. He had developed a close liaison with JeM militant Waseem Raja Guru in 2008-09 and used to be with him off and on,” he claimed.
After giving the details, Khoda said: “I have given you facts, figures and background. I mentioned this to put at rest any statement coming in any section of media stating otherwise.”
With regard to the shootout, Khoda said the police was moving in “various directions.” “We have been able to develop some leads indicating the linkage of the three militants with stone pelters and those who instigate stone pelting,” he said. “It will be premature to give all the details about it, but we are moving in the positive direction.”
Regarding the bike that they used, Khoda said, “We are now ascertaining the details about the owner of the bike,” he said.
The police chief said he wanted to congratulate the policemen “for standing up to the cause of their duty and responding to an imminent attack at Qamarwari.”
“It was an act of bravery,” he said, “In recognition to which we have ordered out of turn promotion of four police officials and Rs five lakhs for the police party on duty.”

‘SITUATION UNDER CONTROL’
The police chief said the situation arising out of the recent agitation has been brought under control. “We are working to bring back normalcy in Jammu and Kashmir and ensure peaceful atmosphere for the people,” he said.

‘MILLITANCY DOWN’
Khoda said the militancy and militancy related incidents have come down. “I had last year said that 2009 saw the lowest militancy and militancy related incidents in Jammu and Kashmir in the past 20 years. This year it is lower than that, given all the parameters related to militancy,” he said.
Asked if the militancy was completely over, Khoda said it was on. “All I am saying is that the militancy has come down. Infiltration is there. The terror camps are still intact on the other side of the border,” he said. “Recently the Inspector General of Police, Kashmir, presented a Pak militant before the media, who narrated things about the terror camps there. But we have been able to neutralize some of the top militant commanders in recent days, like in Handwara.”
He said 400 to 500 militants were present in Jammu and Kashmir. Asked if there were any “fresh entries” to this, he said, “It will be less than 100.”
He said last year there were 458 incidents of militancy in Jammu and Kashmir till August 15. “This year it is 450 up to the same period,” he said.

‘MILITANTS TURNING PELTERS’
The inspector general of police, SM Sahai, said: “It is not that stone pelters are taking to militancy, but it is that militants are taking to stone pelting.”
Asked if that was a change in strategy, Khoda responded; “The change in strategy has been there since 1947 through various means.”

‘3000 ARRESTED DURING RECENT UNREST’
The DGP admitted that police had arrested 3040 persons during the recent agitation in Kashmir. “3040 persons had been arrested. As on November 22, there are only 29 of them in police custody, 12 in Judicial Custody besides 124 who have been detained under the Public Safety Act,” he said in response to a question.

CM HAS ASSURED PROBE: SHARIQ
 Meanwhile, Member Parliament Sharief-ud-din Shariq Tuesday said Chief Minister Omar Abdullah has assured him of an investigation into the Qamarwari shoot-out.
 “The Chief Minister assured me of an investigation into it. The CM said he will not allow any kind of human rights violation,” said Shariq. One of the youth killed in the shootout was his distant relative.
 Regarding the killings, Shariq said he was told by his relatives that their ward was neither involved in militancy nor linked to any militant group. “I have not contradicted my statement,” he told Greater Kashmir’s sister concern, Kashmir Uzma.

Lastupdate on : Tue, 30 Nov 2010 21:30:00 Makkah time
Lastupdate on : Tue, 30 Nov 2010 18:30:00 GMT
Lastupdate on : Wed, 1 Dec 2010 00:00:00 IST