Anantnag May 11 (KNS) : Three Lashkar Toiba militants were killed in a gunfight in the Vailoo Kokernag area of south Kashmir’s Anantnag district on Tuesday.
The slain militants have been identified as Ilyas Ahmad Dar alias Sameer of Danwathpora Kokernag, Ubaid Shafi alias Abdullah of Batamaloo Srinagar and Aqib Ahmad Lone alias Sahil of Khandaypora Kulgam.
The police statement issued to KNS reads, "Today at about 0400hrs, Anantnag Police while acting on specific input regarding presence of three militants in a residential house at village Sheikhpora, Vailoo area of Kokernag, a joint cordon and search operation was launched by Police, 19RR and CRPF in the said area."
During the search operation, as the presence of militants got ascertained they were given an opportunity to surrender, however they fired indiscriminately upon the joint search party which was retaliated leading to an encounter., It reads.
"The joint teams also rescued all the civilians trapped in the gunfire and halted the operation for the time to ensure safety and safe evacuation of people from the area of a gunfight,." It said.
"After ensuring all the civilians are safe, the operation was resumed and all the militants were eliminated in the ensuing encounter. Bodies of the killed militants were retrieved from the site of encounter," it added.
As per police records, all the killed militants were linked with militant outfit LeT and part of the groups involved in several militancy-related crime cases including attacks on security forces and security establishments.
It is pertinent to mention that militant Ubaid Shafi was part of the group involved in carrying out the attack at Aaribagh area of Nowgam Srinagar on 01/04/2021 in which one Constable Rameez Ahmad attained martyrdom, the statement said.
Police said that 1 AK-47 rifle, 2 pistols and incriminating materials have also been recovered from the site of the encounter.
All the recovered materials have been taken into case records for further investigation and to probe their complicity in other militancy-related crimes, it said.
IGP Kashmir congratulates police & security forces for conducting a successful operation without any collateral damage.
IGP Kashmir also appeals the parents of the 'misguided' youth to help Police to bring their wards back into the mainstream.
The last rites of the killed militants shall be performed after conducting medico-legal formalities and the nearest family members of local militants shall be allowed to participate in the last rites.
In this connection, police have registered a case under relevant sections of law and an investigation has been initiated. People are requested to cooperate with police till the area is completely sanitized and cleared off of all the explosive materials if any, the statement issued reads.(KNS)