Srinagar: Jaish-e-Muhammad commander active since 2018 was among the two terrorists killed in a gunfight in Awantipora area of south Kashmir’s Pulwama district, Additional Director General of Police, Vijay Kumar said.
“#AwantiporaEncounterUpdate: Notorious #terrorist of JeM terror outfit namely Kaiser Koka active since 2018 trapped in encounter: ADGP Kashmir@JmuKmrPolice (sic),” Kumar said in a tweet.
Later in another tweet, he said that a USA-made rifle was recovered from the killed terrorists.
“#AwantiporaEncounterUpdate: #Terrorist Kaiser Koka #neutralised. Identification of 2nd terrorist is being ascertained. #Incriminating materials, arms & ammunition including 01 USA made rifle (M-4 Carbine), 01 pistol and other materials have been recovered @JmuKmrPolice (sic),” he said in another tweet.
The gunfight at Wandakpora of Awantipora broke out after joint teams of Police, 50 RR of the Army, and CRPF after receiving information about the presence of militants launched a search operation in the area.
Kumar said that Kaiser was active since 2018 and was involved in many terror-related activities.
“Acting on specific information generated by Police regarding the presence of terrorists in village Wandakpora area of Awantipora, a joint cordon and search operation was launched by Police, Army (55 RR) and CRPF (130 Bn) in the area,” Police said. “During the search operation, as the joint search party approached towards the suspected spot, the hiding terrorists fired indiscriminately at the joint search party which was retaliated effectively leading to an encounter.”
In the ensuing encounter, Police said: “Two local terrorists of JeM were killed and their bodies were retrieved from the site of the encounter. They have been identified as Kaisar Rashid Koka, son of Abdul Rashid Koka of Tengpora, Kaigam, and Ishaq Ahmad Lone, son of Ghulam Nabi Lone of Lelhar, Pulwama.”
As per the Police records, “The killed terrorist Kaiser Koka was a categorised terrorist and involved in several terror crime cases including attacks on Police and security forces and civilian atrocities. He was active since the year 2018 and had ex-filtrated to Pakistan.”
Police said, “After acquiring arms and ammunition and training, he infiltrated back to Kashmir and was active in the areas of Awantipora, Pulwama. He was involved in an IED attack at Larmoo Awantipora on May 2, 2022, in which two CRPF personnel were injured.”
Police said: “The other killed terrorist Ishaq Ahmad Lone was a hybrid terrorist and was also involved in several cases including attacks on Police and security forces and civilian atrocities.”
It said that incriminating material and arms and ammunition were recovered from the encounter site.
Police said that all the recovered material has been taken into case records for further investigation.
In this regard, a case under relevant sections of law has been registered and an investigation has been initiated, Police said.