HM Commander killed in Kulgam encounter: Police

Srinagar: A commander of Hizbul Mujahideen was killed in an encounter with the security forces in Kulgam district of south Kashmir on Saturday, police said.

The slain militant has been identified by police as Mudasir Ahmad Wagay, a resident of Malwan Devsar. Police said he was active since 2018. The gunfight took place in Ashmuji area of Kulgam after police, 9 Rashtriya Rifles and CRPF cordoned off the area. Police said the militant was given ample opportunity to surrender, but he denied it, leading to the encounter and his subsequent killing.

   

“Encounter has started at Ashmuji area of Kulgam. Police and security forces are on the job. Further details shall follow. @JmuKmrPolice,” Kashmir Zone Police said in Tweet soon after the encounter.

Later police in another Tweet said the militant was killed. “KulgamEncounterUpdate: 01 unidentified terrorist killed. Operation going on. Further details shall follow. @JmuKmrPolice,” Police said in another Tweet.

Police said during the encounter dozens of students were evacuated from a school, located close to the encounter site. Police said that operation has been called off with the killing of the militant.

“Today at about 13:00 hrs, based on credible input about the presence of terrorists in village Ashmuji area of District Kulgam, a cordon and search operation was launched by Kulgam Police, 9RR and 18Bn CRPF,” police said in statement on Saturday evening.

“During the search operation, after the presence of the terrorist was ascertained, efforts were made to evacuate the civilians and message was passed to hiding terrorist to surrender,” police said adding that “he denied and started firing indiscriminately upon the security forces, which was retaliated leading to an encounter”.

“In the ensuing encounter, one terrorist namely Mudasir Ahmad Wagay Son of Mohd Jamal Wagay a resident of Malwan, Devsar was killed. He was (A+) categorised terrorist and was presently District Commander of proscribed terrorist outfit HM,” police said. “He was active from 2018. Incriminating material including arms and ammunition were recovered from the site. All the recovered material has been taken into custody for further investigation and to probe their complicity in other terror crimes.”

In this connection, a case with FIR number 242/2021 under relevant sections of law has been registered in Police Station Kulgam and investigation has been initiated. “People are requested not to venture inside the encounter zone as such area can prove dangerous and to cooperate with police till the area is completely sanitized and cleared,” police said.

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