Srinagar, May 31 (KNS): Three militants affiliated with Hizb-ul-Mujahideen were killed in an encounter that raged between forces and militants in Dragad area of Sugan village in South Kashmir’s Shopian district.
Police said that encounter broke out after a Cordon and Search Operation was launched in the area following credible inputs about the presence of militants, adding that the gunfight site was located in orchards and with no habitation nearby.
During the search operation, the hiding militants fired on the search party, police said, adding that the fire was retaliated, leading to an encounter in which two listed militants along with the other one who was part of this group were killed.
Bodies were retrieved from the site of encounter and handed over to the legal heirs, police said while identifying the slain as Abid Manzoor Magray alias Sajju Tiger son of Manzoor Ahmad Magray resident Nowpora Payeeen Pulwama, Bilal Ahmad Bhat son of Gul Mohammad resident of Urmulla Lassipora Pulwama and Jasim Rashid Shah son of Abdul Rashid resident of Malnar, Shopian. They were affiliated with HM.
Abid and Manzoor were wanted by law for their complicity in a series of cases including attack on security establishments and civilian atrocities. Several cases were registered against them, police said.
"According to the police records, Abid had a history of terror crime records since 2016. Abid was part of groups involved in planning & executing series of terror attacks in the area and many other civilian atrocities.Click Here To Follow Our WhatsApp ChannelSeveral terror crime cases were registered against him. He was involved in case FIR No 509/2016 pertaining to terror attack at Litter, Case FIR No. 281/2016 pertaining to weapon snatching at Gudbug Guard, Case FIR No. 19/2018 pertaining to firing on PP Lassipora, Case FIR No. 35/2018 pertaining to firing on patrolling party at Alaipora Lassipora, Case FIR No. 45/2018 pertaining to theft of vehicle, Case FIR No. 304/2013 pertaining to kidnapping of a girl and several other criminal cases,” police said.
Similarly, Manzoor was also involved in several attacks on security establishments in the area. Many cases were also registered against him, police added.
Jasim, as per the records and inputs available with police coupled with the family version was missing since yesterday afternoon and was part of this group, police said.
Meanwhile, police said that incriminating materials including arms and ammunition was recovered from the site of encounter. “All these materials have been taken in the case records for the purpose of investigation and to probe their complicity in other cases,” police said.
Meanwhile police urged people not o venture in the encounter zone and cooperate with police till the area is completely sanitized and cleared of all the explosives materials if any. (KNS)