Srinagar, April 12: Police on Tuesday identified the two Jaish militants killed in an overnight firefight with security forces in Kulgam district of south Kashmir as Jameel Pasha alias Usman Chachu, a Pakistani and Sameer Sofi son of Farooq Ahmad Sofi of Amshipora, Shopian. Two cops were injured in the gunfight.
Quoting sources, news agency GNS reported that Pasha was active since five years in Kulgam-Shopian belt and had a history of cases including attacks on police and security forces, abduction of forces personnel, IED attacks and weapon looting against him.
Besides, he was also instrumental in recruitment of youth into militant folds, sources said.
As per sources, the slain militants were part of the group that escaped after a brief gunfight in Chaki Samad area of Kulgam on April 9.
The encounter broke out on Monday evening on a specific input regarding movement of militants in a vehicle on Manzgam-Aharbal axis after which a special joint team of Kulgam Police and Army’s 9 & 34 RR was constituted and at about 17:50 hours, a police spokesperson said, adding, “a three-wheeler vehicle (tempo) was spotted near Khur-Batpora moving in suspicious condition and was chased and challenged.”
However, the militants travelling in the vehicle jumped out and resorted to “indiscriminate firing towards the joint team,” the spokesman said adding the fire was effectively retaliated. However, in the initial firefight, two of the Police personnel got critically wounded and were evacuated amidst the heavy firing to 92 Base Hospital (BB Cant Srinagar) where their condition is stable now.
He said the encounter which started at twilight lasted for the whole night and ended up with the killing of the two militants.
Police said a large cache of arms and ammunition including one AK47 rifle, 3 AK47 Magazine, 36 AK 47 rounds, one Pistol, one Pistol Magazine, five Pistol rounds, one Grenade, one BP Pouch, and weapon Oil Bottle was recovered from the site of the encounter.