SRINAGAR A foreigner was among two militants killed in an encounter with government forces at Bonbazar area of south Kashmirs Shopian district on Saturday.
Reports said that a joint team of armys 23 Para and SOG Shopian laid a siege at Banday Mohalla of Bonbazar area today morning.
A police spokesman said that the cordon was laid following a credible input about the presence of militants. During the search operation, the hiding militants fired upon the search party. The fire was retaliated leading to encounter.
In the ensuing encounter, two militants were killed and their bodies were retrieved from the site of encounter, he said. The spokesman identified the slain militants as Mir Zeenat Ul Islam of Turkawanghom Shopian. From the incriminating materials recovered at the site of encounter, the other killed militant has been identified as Pakistani code named Munna.
It was a combined group of Hizbul Mujahideen (HM) and JeM and as per the Police records Zeenat was affiliated with HM outfit while as Munna was affiliated with Jaish-e-Mohammad (JeM). Both were wanted by law for their complicity in several militant strikes including attacks on security establishments and civilian atrocities, the spokesman said.
According to the Police records Zeenat was part of groups involved in several crimes. Several crime cases were registered against him including case FIR No 25/2019 pertaining to abduction and killing of a civilian Irfan Hameed of Zainapora. He was also involved in case FIR No. 23/2019 of PS Zainapora Shopian, the spokesman said.
Similarly, Munna was also involved in planning and executing series of attacks on security establishments and many other civilian atrocities in the area. He was involved in case FIR NO. 125/2019 pertaining to IED blast on security forces in Arihal area of Pulwama on 17-06-2019 in which 02 security force personnel died. Several other militant cases were registered against him. He was also responsible for recruitment of locals to the militant ranks, the spokesman said.
Incriminating material 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 cases, he said. Pertinently, with the efforts of police and security forces, it was a clean operation and no collateral damage took place during the exchange of fire.
Meanwhile, an official said that after conducting all legal medico-formalities, the body of the slain local militant was handed over to his legal heirs for last rites while as the body of the foreigner was shifted to PCR Srinagar. According to the officer, the body of the foreigner is being taken to Boniyar in north Kashmirs Baramulla district for burial.
According to reports and eyewitnesses, four rounds of funeral prayers were held in favour of the slain at his native village Turkawanghom.
Army soldier killed on LoC
An army soldier was killed in cross-border firing in Machil sector of frontier Kupwara district of north Kashmir on Saturday.
Official sources said that Pakistani forces attacked the army’s posts in Machil sectors today morning.
A police officer while confirming it said that the Pakistani army opened unprovoked fire upon the Indian Army posts in Machil.
In the incident, a soldier suffered critical injuries along the Line of Control (LoC) in Machil sector, he said.
The soldier was taken to nearby army’s health facility where he succumbed later, the officer said.
He identified the slain soldier as Lance Naik Rajender Singh of 57 RR.
However, an army spokesman in a statement said that the infiltration bid was foiled by the alert troops in Machil sector.
Infiltration Bid Foiled. A group of militants attempted to infiltrate from POK at 0220 hrs today in Machhal Sector. The bid was foiled by own alert troops. One soldier was martyred in the operation, the spokesman said
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