They were associated with Hizbul Mujahideen, says IGP Kashmir.
Srinagar —
Inspector-General of Police (Kashmir), Vijay Kumar said that three militants killed in Mandoora Tral area of south Kashmir’s Pulwama district were locals, and were associated with Hizb-ul-Mujahideen.
The IGP Kumar, while addressing media persons, said that last night, Awantipora Police received information that militants in Tral were hiding in the area. “Accordingly, Police, CRPF and Army laid a cordon. Searches were carried and it got confirmed that militants are present there.”
“As part of SoP, the militants were offered to surrender but they refused,” he said, adding, “They hurled a grenade and opened fire which was retaliated, leading to a gunfight. Three local militants were killed and they belonged to Hizbul Mujahideen.”
One among them, he said, had joined last year and two of them this year only. “You will remember that there was a grenade attack in Tral town in which a CRPF personnel and eight civilians were injured. The attack was carried by one among the slain, Arif Bashir of Mandoora,” the IGP said.
The two other slain militants in Tral were identified as Waris Hassan who had joined in August last year and Syed Asif Ul Haq of Noorpora.
The IGP said that an AK-47 and four grenades besides a pistol was recovered from their possession.
While replying a query regarding Lawaypora ‘encounter’, he said that whatever families are saying has proved to be “wrong.”
“They said the trio did not know each other but what transpired through investigation is that all three of them boarded the same vehicle at 2:30 PM and de-boarded just before encounter site. In 2019, the policeman’s son (one among the slain at Lawaypora) was brought to SOG camp and counseled (against joining militant ranks). Meta data also shows that two from Pulwama had IP address from Pakistan,” he claimed.
IGP Vijay Kumar, however, said that surrender of local militants shall be the mode of operation this year for police and other security establishments in J&K.
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