In a massive clean up operation launched in South Kashmir district of Shopian early Sunday morning, a joint team of security forces successfully managed to neutralise four terrorists including one of the top commanders of Ansar Gazwatul Hind (AGH), the Kashmir version of ISIS, without suffering any collateral damage.
Director General of Police,Dilbagh Singh said, "all the four terrorists neutralised in the operation were inspired by ISIS and commanded by Showkat Ahmad Mir".
Ahead of the beginning of the Amarnath yatra, security forces were combing the South Kashmir areas to flush out holed up terrorists in their 'safe' heavens.
According to a police spokesman, "a Cordon and Search Operation (CASO) was launched in Daramdora village after the presence of militants was reported in the area early Sunday. The operation was focused on the orchard area. As the security forces tightened the cordon around the hiding terrorists, they opened fire on the security forces. In the ensuing encounter four terrorists were eliminated".
According to police spokesman, "the four killed terrorists have been identified as Showkat Ahmad Mir of Rajpora Pulwama, Rafi Hassan Mir of Kralchak Shopian, Suhail Ahmad Bhat of Batmuran Shopian and Azad Ahmad Khanday of Bamnoo Pulwama.
Police spokesman said, Showkat was instrumental in the recruitment of Azad Ahmad, Rafi Hassan & Suhail Ahmad who had recently joined the terrorist fold.
Among the four killed terrorists,Showkat had a long history of terror crime records since 2015. He was initially part of proscribed terror outfit HM. Suhail Ahmad had recently jointed the ranks of the terror outfit.
As per police records, Showkat was wanted by law for his complicity in a series of terror crimes including attack on security establishments and civilian atrocities.
Police spokesman said, "several terror crime cases were registered against him including Case FIR No. 113/2016 of P/S Rajpora pertaining to firing on a guard post at Sheikhard, Case FIR No. 02/2017 of P/S Rajpora pertaining to the lobbing of grenade on security forces, Case FIR No. 20/2017 of P/S Rajpora pertaining to firing on civilians Bashir Ahmad Dar and Altaf Ahmad at Qasabyar in which Bashir Dar succumbed and Altaf was seriously injured, Case FIR No. 21/2017 of P/S Rajpora pertaining to civilian atrocities and Case FIR No. 01/2019 of P/S Rajpora pertaining to killing of a policeman Sameer Ahmad".
Police said, "Incriminating materials including arms & ammunition was recovered from the site of encounter. All these materials have been taken in the case records for further investigation and to probe their complicity in other terror crime cases".
Earlier, on Sunday, a top commander of Jaish-e-Mohammad (JeM) and Improvised Explosive Device (IED) expert in Uri area of North Kashmir’s Baramulla district was killed by the security forces when he was trying to ex-filitrate.
JeM commander identified as Rashid alias Abu Luqman, was active for three years and was imparting training to militants to make IEDs. The militant was trying to exfiltrate when the encounter took place in Boniyar.
Meanwhile, in Jammu region, the security forces have pressed services of sniffer dogs to track down terrorists in a forest area of Kishtwar district. The operation in the area was going on for last two days after an initial contact was established between the hiding terrorists and the security forces.