Killing of top militant commanders will help in saving lives of commoners: DGP
Suhail Khan
Shopian, Mar 15 : A top militant commander among two militants were killed in 3-day long gunfight in south Kashmir’s Shopian district officials said.
An official told Kashmir Despatch that security forces killed top JeM commander Sajad Afghani and before that on Saturday a Lashkar-e-Toiba militant Jehangeer in a gunfight at Rawalpora area of Shopian.
The officer said search operation in the area was launched on Friday and encounter started on Saturday evening which was suspended due to darkness and operation resumed on Sunday morning.
Pertinently, encounter resumed at Rawalpora, Shopian after three days. Earlier, one militant was killed there.
An official on Saturday evening said that a joint team of Police, Army’s 34 RR and CRPF launched a Cordon and Search Operation (CASO) on specific information about the presence of militants in the area.
He said that as the joint team of forces approached towards the suspected spot, the hiding militants fired upon them, which was retaliated, triggering an encounter.
DGP as per a statement issued to Kashmir Despatch complimented the police and security forces for their untiring efforts while eliminating the dreaded top militant commanders in the recent times, thus providing huge respite to the common people.
He praised the police and security forces for successful anti-militancy operations in their respective areas. He said that the killing of Al Badr, LeT and JeM commanders will definitely help in saving the lives of commoners as also “the lives and careers of a number of our innocent youth who fall prey to their malicious designs.”
He lauded the role of J&K Police and other security forces for recovering and capturing huge numbers of weaponry during the last year. He said that capturing weapons means nipping the evil in the bud and saving a number of youth who would have been misguided to pick up those weapons by choosing a path of violence.
“The public in general and parents of vulnerable youth have reposed trust in us,” he said and impressed upon the officers to work with full professionalism and with more dedication for bringing lasting peace in the area and welfare of the people.
Meanwhile, Police Version in a statement issued to Kashmir Despatch reads, It is further informed that the encounter resumed in the wee hours after remaining suspended for the night hours.
As the search operation was resumed, contact with the holed up militants was again established and during the ensuing encounter one more militant was killed and his body was retrieved from the site of encounter. He has been identified as top JeM commander Vilayat Ahmad Lone alias Sajad Afghani resident of Shopian.
As per police records, the killed militant was active since 08/09/2018 and was part of a group involved in executing a series of attacks on policemen, SF and civilians. He was also involved in attacks on security establishments and brutal killings of civilians branding them as police/SF informers.
Several terror crime cases were registered against him and was wanted by law for his complicity in several terror crime cases including Case FIR No. 304/2018 PS Shopian pertaining to terrorising the people so as to keep them away from Panchayat polls including blazing a Panchayat Ghar at Kanji-ullar. Case FIR No. 307/2018 PS Shopian pertaining to barging into the houses of police personnel, abducting and killing of SgCt Nisar Ahmad, Foll. Firdous Ahmad and SPO Kulwant Singh. Case FIR No. 343/2018 PS Shopian regarding attack on 34RR camp at Matribugh. Case FIR No. 362/2018 PS Shopian regarding abduction and killing of civilian Suhail Ahmad Ganai. Case FIR No. 35/2019 PS Shopian regarding killing of SPO Khusboo Jan and Case FIR No. 45/2019 PS Shopian regarding abduction and killing of civilian Tanveer Ahmad Dar.
IGP Kashmir and GoC Victor Force conducted aerial monitoring of theoperation and L&O situations at the encounter site. Both the officers have appreciated Police and security forces for the big success and conducting operation successfully without any collateral damage.
Incriminating materials including arms & ammunition were recovered from the site of encounter. All these materials have been taken into case records for further investigation and to probe his complicity in other militant crimes.
