Srinagar: Inspector General of Kashmir Zone, Vijay Kumar on Tuesday said that two terrorist have so far been killed in ongoing encounter in Anantnag district of south Kashmir. Kumar said a potential threat to forthcoming Amarnath Yatra has been neutralised.
IGP said the encounter broke out in Kreeri Dooru area of Anantnag after Police and Army launched a search operation to track the terrorists.
As the searches were under taken hiding terrorist opened fire on joint parties, triggering an encounter.
In ensuing encounter two terrorist were killed and their identity is being ascertained even as operation is underway.
“Encounter has started at Kreeri, Dooru area of Anantnag.Police and Army (19RR) on job. Further details shall follow.@JmuKmrPolice,” Kashmir Zone Police Tweeted on Tuesday evening. “AnantnagEncounterUpdate: 1 terrorist killed. #Operation in progress. Further details shall follow. @JmuKmrPolice,” Police said in another Tweet.
Later after some time Police said another terrorist has been killed. “AnantnagEncounterUpdate: 1 more terrorist killed (Total 2). Operation in progress. Further details shall follow.@JmuKmrPolice,” police said in another Tweet.
The Kashmir Police chief termed the Anantnag operation as important in many aspects. He said that the group of killed terrorists had killed a soldier in April. He added that they have eliminated threat to forthcoming Amarnath Yatra and NHW.
“AnantnagEncounterUpdate: This encounter is important in 2 aspects: 1st, it is the same group of terrorists who escaped from Watnad encounter on 16/4/22 in which we lost 1 soldier. 2nd, encounter site is very close to NHW & imminent threat to NHW & #Yatra neutralised: IGP Kashmir,” Vijay Kumar was quoted in a Tweet by Kashmir Zone Police.
A statement issued by the Police said: “Acting on specific information generated by police regarding the presence of terrorists in Kreeri, Dooru area of Anantnag, Police and Army (19RR) launched a joint cordon & search operation in the said area.
During the search operation, as the joint search party approached towards the suspected spot, the hiding terrorists fired indiscriminately upon the joint search party which was effectively retaliated leading to an encounter.
In the ensuing encounter, 02 categorized terrorists of proscribed terror outfit LeT were killed and their bodies were retrieved from the site of encounter. They have been identified as Arif Hussain Bhat resident of Halsidar Dooru and Suhail Ahmad Lone resident of Awgam Kulgam.”
“As per police records, both the categorized killed terrorists were part of groups involved in several terror crime cases including attacks on Police/SF and civilian atrocities. They were involved in killing of Army Jawan Nishan Singh during a search operation in Watnar Kokernag on 16-04-2022. The killed terrorist Arif Bhat was involved in killing of ASI Mohammad Ashraf son of Ghulam Mohammad Dar resident of Awantipora near Police Station Bijbehara on 22-12-2021, he was also involved in killing of HC namely Ali Mohd Ganie near his residential house at Hasanpora Tabeela on 29-01-2022,” the statement said.
Moreover, the killed terrorist Suhail Lone has joined terrorist ranks on the behest of active terrorist Raja Nadeem Rather of Ashmuji Kulgam.
“IGP Kashmir congratulated the joint teams for conducting the operation in professional manner without collateral damage. He also termed the operation as a big success and important in two aspects viz, it was the same group of terrorists who escaped from Watnad encounter on 16/04/2022 in which one soldier was martyred. Besides, the encounter site was very close to national highway so an imminent threat to NHW as well as upcoming Yatra was neutralized,”
“Incriminating materials, arms and ammunition including 2 AK rifles, one pistol & 2 grenades were recovered from the site of encounter. All the recovered materials have been taken into case records for further investigation,” it said.
In this regard, a case under relevant sections of law has been registered and investigation has been initiated. People are requested to cooperate with Police till the area at encounter site is completely sanitized and cleared of all the explosive materials, if any.