Srinagar: Two local militants of Al-Badr militant outfit were killed in overnight Pulwama encounter while Inspector General of Police, Kashmir zone, Vijay Kumar said that they were involved in recent attacks on non-locals.
One militant was killed and an Army soldier was injured in the Mitrigam Pulwama encounter on Wednesday evening and another militant was killed later in the night.
Soon after the killing of second militant police tweeted. “PulwamaEncounterUpdate: 01 more terrorist killed (Total 2). Operation over.@JmuKmrPolice,” Kashmir Zone Police said in a Tweet Wednesday night.
They were identified as Aijaz Hafiz of Dalipora and Shahid Ayub of Dheeri Murran, of Al-Badr outfit.
The encounter broke out in Mitrigam village of Pulwama after police and Army cordoned off the area on Wednesday late afternoon . As the cordon was being aligned, hiding militants fired upon the search party. In the initial exchange of fire one soldier was injured.
“Encounter has started at Mitrigam area of Pulwama. Police and security forces are on the job. Further details shall follow.@JmuKmrPolice,” Kashmir Zone Police Tweeted Wednesday evening.
“PulwamaEncounterUpdate: 1 terrorist killed. Operation in progress. Further details shall follow.@JmuKmrPolice,” police said in another tweet.
Police said: “On a specific input generated by Pulwama Police regarding presence of terrorists in village Mitrigam area of Pulwama, a joint cordon & search operation was launched by Police, Army (44RR) and CRPF in the said area,” police said.
“During the search operation, as the joint search party proceeded towards suspected spot the hiding terrorists fired indiscriminately upon search party which was retaliated leading to an encounter,” police said adding that in the initial exchange of fire, one security force personnel received gunshot injuries and he was immediately evacuated to hospital for treatment of his injuries. “However, the operation was halted to ensure safe evacuation of all the civilians trapped around the encounter site. Moreover, all due precautions were also taken to avoid any collateral damage.”
“After evacuation of civilians was done, the operation was resumed. In the ensuing operation, two local terrorists identified as Aijaz Hafiz of Dalipora and Shahid Ayub of Dheeri Murran linked with proscribed terror outfit Al-Badr were killed and their bodies were retrieved from the site of encounter.”
As per police records police said: “Both the killed terrorists were categorized terrorists and part of groups involved in a series of terror crimes including attacks on Police/SFs and civilian atrocities,”police said. “Both the killed terrorists were involved in series of recent terror attacks on outside labourers in Pulwama.”
“Terrorist Aijaz Ahmad Hafiz was involved in firing upon outside labourers namely Sonu Sharma son of Banarasi Dass resident of Pathankote at Yadder Pulwama, Mohammad Akram son of Ab Salam resident of Bijnor UP at Arihal Pulwama and Wishwajeet Kumar son of Parwas Mandal resident of Banka Bihar at Circular Road Gangoo, Pulwama,”police said. “He was also involved in firing upon bank guard namely Ab Hamid Wani resident of Tahab Pulwama and Sarpanch Gh Nabi Kumar of Panchayat Halqa Arihal B at Arihal Pulwama. Besides these terror crimes, terrorist Aijaz Hafiz was instrumental in recruiting Shahid Ayoub Sheikh into terrorist ranks, who too was neutralized in the said encounter.”
“Terrorist Shahid Ayoub was involved in firing upon two outside labourers namely Patlashwar Kumar son of Jako Choudary and Joko Choudary son of Thaugh Choudary, both residents of Bihar at Lajoora Pulwama. Before joining terrorist ranks, he was working as a terrorist associate & was involved in several other terror crimes.”
Incriminating materials, arms and ammunition were recovered from the site of encounter. All the recovered materials have been taken into case records for further investigation.
“IGP Kashmir termed this operation as a big success and congratulated the joint forces for neutralising the terrorists involved in the recent terror attacks on outside labourers,” police said.