SHOPIAN / SOPORE A militant reportedly affiliated with ISJK was killed in an early Friday morning encounter with government forces in Ram Nagri area of Herpora area of South Kashmirs Shopian district.
Police sources identified the slain as Ishfaq Ahmad Sofi alias Abdulla bhai, a resident of Model town Sopore.
A police spokesman in a statement issued here said that a cordon and search operation (CASO) was launched on the basis of credible input.
During the search operation, the hiding militants fired on the search party. The fire was retaliated, leading to a brief exchange of fire, the spokesman said.
In the brief exchange of fire, one militant was killed and he has been identified as Ishfaq Ahmad Sofi alias Umar son of Mushtaq Ahmad resident of Model Town-B, Sopore, he said, adding, Incriminating material including arms and ammunition has been recovered from the slain. It was a clean operation and no collateral damage took place during the exchange of fire, the spokesman said.
According to the police records, Ishfaq had a long history of crime records and was initially affiliated with HuM militant outfit, the spokesman said.
He along with his other militant associates was involved in a series of attacks including grenade attacks on CRPF bunker at Safa Kadal, Soura and Police Station Khanyar. He was also part of groups which had carried out attacks on security establishments in the area, he said. Ishfaq was subsequently arrested and after his release on bail and he again got recycled and joined the militant ranks last year in 2018, the spokesman said.
Ishfaq, as per the police records, after getting recycled again got involved in planning and executing militant attacks. He was also involved in attacks on security establishments and many other civilian atrocities in the area for which several crime cases were registered against him. As such he was wanted by law for his complicity in a series of crimes, the spokesman said.
Meanwhile, Ishfaqs body was shifted to PCR Srinagar by police. After conducting all legal formalities, the body was handed over to his legal heirs for last rites. Reports said the body reached in his native village in Sopore at around 5:40 p.m.
Following the killing, authorities snapped internet services and also ordered closure of all government and private educational institutions in the sub-division for Friday as a precautionary measure.
Amid a spontaneous shutdown in main town Sopore and its adjoining parts, clashes also broke out in model town Sopore.
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