A Lashkar-e-Toiba commander was among four militants killed in a gunfight with the security forces in Watrigam Dialgam village of south Kashmir’s Anantnag district on Sunday.
The slain commander was identified as Muzaffar Ahmed Bhat,district commander of LeT outfit for Kulgam, hailing from Sopat village of thesame district.
Listed as category ‘A’ militant by police, he was active inthe ranks since April 2017.
The other slain militants were identified as Umar Amin Bhatalso from SopatKulgam; Sajad Ahmad Bhat of Tengbal-Sherpora area of Frisal,Kulgam; and Gulzar Ahmad Bhat of Herpora-Tarigam village in Kulgam. Amin andSajad, both affiliated with LeT, who had joined the militant ranks in April,2019, were listed as category C militants.
Gulzar, listed as category B militant, who had joined themilitant ranks in early 2018 was affiliated with HizbulMujahideen militantoutfit. “He was a Pak trained militant,” a police official said.
The encounter, according to a police official, was triggeredafter a joint team of J&K Police and Army’s 19RR cordoned off the villagein the wee hours following a specific input.
“As the security forces zeroed in towards the suspectedspot, the militants opened fire and tried to flee. However, the forces spottedthem and gunned them down,” he said.
A police official said the militants were not given a chanceto retaliate.
“The militants had a hide-out in the wall of a washroom ofthe house,” he said.
“Two AK 47 rifles, two pistols, ammunition and otherincriminating materials were recovered from the site of encounter,” theofficial added.
Inspector General of Police |(IGP), Kashmir, Vijay Kumartermed the operation as “meticulous”.
“It was pinpoint information and the four militants weregunned down with no collateral damage,” he said.
The IGP said the LeT and the Hizb militants were working inclose coordination with each other.
A police statement said the militants were involved indifferent cases of attacks on security forces and other killings.
Soon after the encounter the mobile internet services in thetwin districts of Anantnag and Kulgam were snapped.
The slain militants were laid to rest at their nativevillages in Kulgam district after funeral processions.