Top Hizbul ultra among 2 terrorists neutralised in separate encounter
Four policemen were martyred and two terrorists, including a top-ranking commander of banned Hizbul Mujahideen outfit, were killed in separate incidents in south Kashmir’s Shopian and Anantnag districts on Wednesday.
Sources said a group of heavily armed ultras showered indiscriminate gunfire on policemen at Arhama village outside Shopian town. The policemen were near a workshop to fix an official vehicle and were deployed with a counter-insurgent Deputy Superintendent of Police. The officer was not on the scene when the attack took place in broad daylight.
They said the terrorists resorted to indiscriminate firing killing three policemen on spot while the fourth succumbed to injuries in hospital. The martyred cops were identified as constables Ishfaq Ahmed Mir, Muhammad Iqbal Mir and Javaid Ahmed Bhat and special police official Adil Manzoor Bhat.
The attackers took away three AK-47 rifles from the martyred policemen. The incident created panic in the area and majority of the people fled the village. The surrounding areas were cordoned off shortly after the incident. Hizbul Mujahideen and Jaish-e-Muhammad outfits have claimed responsibility for the attack. A police spokesperson said civil and police officers led by Director General of Police SP Vaid laid floral wreaths on the mortal remains and paid rich tributes to the martyrs.
In another incident, two Hizbul Mujahideen terrorists, including senior commander Altaf Kachroo, were killed in a gunfight with the security forces in Anantnag district. Dozens of persons sustained injuries during clashes near the encounter site.
The gunfight broke out around 5 am in Muniward village near Khanabal area of the district after the security forces launched a search operation.
An official said the ultras hiding in a house opened fire on the forces. “In the ensuing gunfight that lasted for several hours, two terrorists were killed,” he said.
Authorities suspended the internet services in the area soon after the gunfight began.
Reports said clashes erupted in the area soon after the encounter began as many youngsters tried to march towards the encounter site to help ultras escape.
The authorities imposed restrictions to curb the movement of the people after the gunfight. Train service was also suspended on the Srinagar-Banihal route following the gunfight.
“In the ensuing encounter two ultras were killed. The killed terrorists were identified as Altaf Ahmad Dar alias Kachroo and Umar Rashid Wani,” he said.
“Kachroo was currently operating as a one of the most important terrorist commanders of proscribed outfit HM. He had a long history of criminal records since 2007,” he said.
“Considered as a long-time surviving terrorist in the area, he was involved in a series of terrorist crimes in the area. He was involved in several attacks on the security forces and killings of civilians and policemen in the area,” he said. The cases included snatching of weapons and attacking civilian and security targets.
“During the 2016 unrest, he (Kachroo) along with Yasin Itoo alias Gaznavi played a major role in instigating people,” he added.
Police said the second slain ultra was active since last year and involved in many civilian atrocities and attacks on security establishments. He was also involved in killing of policemen at Anantnag while in Srinagar city he had carried an attack on CRPF and also escaped from the recent Batmaloo encounter site where one policeman was killed.
“Some arms and ammunition were also recovered from the site of the encounter,” police said.