After remaining at the receiving end for the last few days, the Jammu and Kashmir Police, along with other security agencies, have started putting their act together and going after terrorists involved in civilian killings. Six terrorists have been neutralized in the last 24 hours which include Imtiyaz Dar and Mukhtar Shah, both involved in target killings. Imtiyaz Dar was killed in an encounter in the Shahgung area of Bandipora in North Kashmir yesterday. Police said he was involved in the killing of a civilian Mohammad Shafi on 5 October. Shafi was targeted in the same area where Imtiyaz was killed by forces.
In a separate operation in Tulran, Shopian, forces shot dead Mukhtar Shah, who, according to police, was involved in the target killing of Virender Paswan, a non-local vendor in Lal Bazar area of Srinagar. Yesterday at about 1800hrs, acting on specific inputs provided by police about the presence of terrorists in Tulran and Feeripora villages of Shopian, police, along with 34RR and CRPF, launched joint cordon and search operations in the said areas.
During the search operation at Tulran, as the presence of terrorists got ascertained, they were given repeated opportunities to surrender; instead they fired indiscriminately upon the joint search party which retaliated leading to an encounter. However, due to darkness the operation was suspended, while the cordon was kept intact. In the wee hours, repeated announcements were again made to the hiding terrorists to surrender, but the terrorists again fired at the joint search party and the fire was retaliated.
In the ensuing encounter, three terrorists were killed and their bodies were retrieved from the site of the encounter. They have been identified as Danish Hussain Dar, resident of Ray Kapren Shopian, Yawar Hussain Naikoo, resident of Pahlipora, and Mukhtar Ahmed Shah, resident of Sindbal, Ganderbal.
As per police records, the killed terrorists were linked with proscribed terror outfit Lashkar-e-Tayyaba (LeT) offshoot The Resistance Front (TRF)—LeT (TRF)—and remained part of groups involved in several terror crime cases, including attacks on security establishments and civilian atrocities. According to police, Mukhtar Shah was involved in target killing of a non-local vendor in Lal Bazar area of Srinagar and shifted to Shopian after committing the crime.
Meanwhile, search operation at Feeripora Shopian also remained suspended throughout the night and resumed in the wee hours. At about 1000hrs, contact was established with the hiding terrorists and they were given ample opportunities to surrender. However, they started firing indiscriminately at the search party which was retaliated leading to an encounter.
In the ensuing encounter, two terrorists were killed and their bodies were retrieved from the site of the encounter. They have been identified as Ubaid Ahmad Dar resident of Ray Kapren and Khubaib Ahmad Nengroo resident of Braripora. As per police records, both the killed terrorists were linked with LeT. Incriminating materials, including arms and ammunition, were recovered from the site of encounter.
All the recovered materials have been taken into case records for further investigation. Police have registered a case under relevant sections of law and investigation has been initiated. IGP Kashmir has congratulated the joint teams working with great synergy and coordination on the ground for carrying out anti-terrorist operations in professional manner without collateral damage. It is pertinent to mention that two cases out of four recent terror cases of target killings in Srinagar and Bandipora stands solved by the elimination of the involved terrorists.