Srinagar, Jun 22 (KNS): At least four militants, a cop and a civilian were killed during an encounter that raged between forces and militants in Khiram Sirgufwara village of Bijbehara in South Kashmir’s Anantnag district, police said.
The state police chief, Shesh Pal Vaid admitted the killing of four militants and a cop, saying that the four militants were reportedly affiliated with ISJK.
“Encounter at Khiram Srigufara on, two terrorists down, firing still continues. Unfortunate we lost one colleague of J&K Police,” DGP tweeted.
In another two tweets, the state police chief said that two more militants were killed in an encounter, thus taking the toll to five including four militants and one cop.
“Two more bodies of terrorists recovered, taking total number to 4,” he tweeted.
“Terrorists reportedly affiliated to ISJK,” he tweeted.]
Meanwhile, police said that pursuing credible leads about the presence of militants in Khiram area of Sirigufwara in District Anantnag, a search was launched by a joint team of Army, CRPF and Police in morning hours today in the area.
“As the joint patrol made an advance towards the suspected house, militants hiding inside fired indiscriminately on the security forces due to which a policeman Ashiq Hussain and a civilian identified as Mohd Yousuf Rather, aged 53 son of Gull Mohd Rather resident of Nowshahar Khiram, got injured and succumbed to their injuries,” police spokesman said.
He said that consequently some more civilians also got injured and were shifted to hospital.
He said that in the encounter, all the four militants were killed who have been identified as Dawood Ahmad Sofi, Majid Manzoor Dar, Aadil Rehman Bhat and Mohammad Ashraf Itoo.
“Dawood Ahmad Sofi aged 33; son of Mohd Subhan Sofi, a resident of Zainakoot HMT Srinagar was involved in number of stone pelting cases in the area prior to joining the terror outfit. He was involved in a terror attack which resulted in death of ASI Ghulam Mohammad and HC Naseer Ahmad at Bagh–Ali-Mardan Khan in Zadibal and also in the killing of policeman and snatching his rifle at Tengpora Batamaloo besides other terror attacks,” he said.
He said that Majid Manzoor Dar of Talangam Pulwama also joined the terror Gang and remained active along with Aadil Rehman Bhat of Shettipora Bijbehara and Mohd Ashraf Itoo of Hatigam Srigufwara Anantnag.
He said that initially Dawood was known to be affiliated with TuM, a militant outfit. “This gang was active on social media and mostly attacked the policemen on duty at different places. The social media profiling and inputs indicate that they were inspired by ISIS module,” he said.
He informed that incriminating material and huge quantity of ammunition was also seized from the site of encounter.
Police has registered a case in this regard and has initiated investigation in the instant matter. (KNS)