Srinagar, June 21 (KNS): The Director General of Jammu and Kashmir Police, Dilbag Singh on Monday said that all three militants killed in Sopore encounter last night were the most dread militants and top commanders of Lashkar-e-Toiba militant outfit in the area and stated that this was a very important operation for the police and the security forces. 

According to news agency KNS, addressing a press conference here, Dilbag Singh said that the operation was launched last night in Sopore by the police, CRPF and the Army in which three most dreaded militants were killed. 

"All three militants were commanders as they were involved in militant related activities for a long time and among them Mudasir Pandit was the topmost commander who was known by different names. He was LeT commander in the area since June 2019. Around 18 FIRs were registered against him, and he was involved several killings including 4 civilians, 9 security forces, 2 ex-militants, 3 sarpanches, and 2 people belonging to Hurriyat and Separatist cadres," he said.  

Singh said that Mudasir was also involved in various crimes including threatening and intimidating people and asking them stay away from political and government activities. 

"Another militant commander Asrar also known as Abdullah was Mudasir's close aide and was with him for a long time. Asrar was equally involved in all the militant related activities that have been carried out Mudasir till date. Besides these two, the third commander was Khursheed Ahmad Mir from Brath Kalan Sopore and was associated with LeT group led by Mudasir since May 2020. Around 6 FIRs were registered against him, and he was also involved in various killings including 7 security forces and 5 civilians and has carried out 2 grenade attacks. He was also involved in various militant related activities carried out by Mudasir Pandit," Singh said. 

He said that all three militants were involved in Sopore attack that took place on June 12 in the main chowk, in which two policemen and two civilians were killed and three others including a police sub-inspector were injured. "Before that they had attacked a municipality building in Sopore on Match 29 in which two municipal councilors and one policeman were killed." 

Singh also said that immediately, after the abrogation of Article 370 when militants started to suppress the voice and movement of the people in the valley, Mudasir was among those militants involved in these activities. "That time militants attacked a fruit merchant in his house in which a 3-year-old girl was injured, Mudasir was involved in that incident as well." 

General officer Commanding of Army’s Kilo Force, H S Sahi and Inspector General of Police, Kashmir Zone Vijay Kumar were also present during the press conference. 

GoC H S Sahi said that the operation was carried out in a built-up area, and it is always difficult to carry out operation in these areas. "But the operation was carried out with precision and without any collateral damage by the security forces," Sahi said.

He also appealed to the local militants to shun gun culture and return to the mainstream. "We will facilitate the return of local militants to the mainstream if they want to shun gun culture. If they refuse to do so their fate will be the same as has been of those who continued to remain on the path of violence," Sahi said. 

IGP Kashmir Vijay Kumar said that all three militants were involved in Sopore attack in which two policemen and two civilians were killed and after that attack SP Sopore issued posters of these militants and there was a lot of support from the public. "Even though the movement of these militants was pinpointed by the police but there was a lot of support from the public as well," Kumar said. (KNS)