‘Militant, associate killed in Shopian’

A militant and his ‘active’ associate were killed in a brief shootout with security forces at a village in this south Kashmir district late Sunday night, police said. 

A police official told Greater Kashmir that two militantsand their ‘active’ associate, who were travelling in a Tavera cab jumped acheck-post set up by Army’s 44 RR at Moolu Chitragam village at around 11 PM onSunday.

   

He said, “The militants opened fire on the soldiers afterthe latter challenged them. The fire was returned by the soldiers at fullthrottle, leading to a shootout.”

“The shootout, which lasted for a few minutes, ended withthe killing of two militants (1 militant and his active associate),” said theofficial, adding that the third militant managed to escape.

The deceased were identified as Firdose Ahmad Bhat ofPanowah, Kulgam and Sajad Ahmad of Wanpora, Kulgam.

The official said that Sajad driving the cab when theshootout took place.

However, the family of Firdose expressed ignorance about hisjoining the militant ranks, while Sajad, according to local residents, was acab driver.

“Firdose was a preacher and was running a small Darasgah cumYateem Trust in the locality,” said his brother Gulzar Ahmad, alleging that thesecurity forces would harass him day in day out for past five years.

Gulzar said that on 5 April 2019 the security forces raidedthe house of Firdose and tried to apprehend him, however, local residentsclashed with the forces and helped him get away.

“Since then he went missing. We don’t have any idea if hehad signed up for any militant group,” he said.

People at the native village of Sajad told Greater Kashmirthat the deceased was a driver and was seen at his village Sunday eveningbefore he left his home with a vehicle.

SSP Kulgam, Gurinderpaul Singh said that Firdose was on therun for a year and was wanted by police, “for he would deliver the provocativesermons”.

“In April, he, however, joined the Hizbul Mujahideenformally along with another resident Irfan Ahmad, now slain” Singh said.

A police official at Kulgam, who did not wish to be named,said that Sajad was an Over Ground Worker.

Meanwhile, a police official in statement said the militantsboarding the vehicle opened fire from inside on the security forces which wasretaliated.

“In the retaliation process one militant identified asFirdous Ahmad Bhat and an active associate Sajad Ahmad who was driving thevehicle got killed. Both of them were the residents of Kulgam. Moreover onemilitant taking advantage of darkness managed to flee from the spot,” it said.

The statement said that Firdose was a “listed militant”.

“Incriminating material arms and ammunition were recoveredfrom the spot,” he added.

FUNERAL

As the bodies of the deceased reached their native village,thousands of mourners converged there to participate in their last rites.

After multiple rounds of funeral prayers, the deceased werelaid to rest in their respective ancestral graveyards.

Local residents said that some militants appeared during thefuneral prayers of Sajad and offered him a gun salute.

CASO AND CLASHES

Meanwhile, intense clashes erupted during a cordon andsearch operation in Tarigam village of Kulgam district after bands of young menpoured into streets and threw rocks on the forces.

“The forces responded by firing pellets and tear smokeshells to scare away the stone-throwing youth,” an official said.

He said the searches were carried out following the inputsabout the presence of militants in the area.

He said the operation, however, was called off as nomilitant was found in the area.

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

two × three =