Srinagar- Two local Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) militants, including the killer of a non-local bank manager, were shot dead by government forces in an encounter in South Kashmir’s Shopian district, police said Wednesday.
Jan Mohd Lone of Braripora and Tufail Nazir Ganie of Ramnagri were killed in a firefight with a joint team of police, army’s 34 RR and the personnel of CRPF 178 battalion in Kanji Ullar area of the district on Wednesday, a police spokesperson said. Both the killed militants, he said, were linked with LeT and were part of groups involved in several cases, including attacks on Police and security forces, and “civilian atrocities”.
The spokesperson quoted IGP Kashmir, Vijay Kumar as saying that Lone was involved in the killing of Banker from Rajasthan in Kulgam on June 2, this year.
“He also revealed that Jan Mohd was earlier working as OGW of LeT’s district commander Adil Ramzan and he killed Bank manager on the direction of said LeT commander,” the IGP said.
After the killing of bank manager Vijay Kumar, the IGP said that Lone actively joined the “terror rank” and since then police were tracking him.
About the second slain militant Tufail Nazir Ganie, the IGP said that he had earlier escaped from two encounters at Chaki Samad and Khur-Batpora area of Kulgam in April this year.
Giving details of the encounter, the spokesperson said that the joint team started a cordon and search operation in the village on the basis of specific information about the presence of militants.
The hiding militants, he said, fired indiscriminately upon the joint search party when they approached towards the suspected spot. In the retaliatory fire, he said, both the militants were killed.
“Incriminating materials, arms & ammunition including 01 AK-47 rifle and 01 Pistol were recovered from the site of encounter. All the recovered materials have been taken into case records for further investigation and to probe their complicity in other terror crimes,” the spokesperson said.
In this regard, he said, Police have registered a case under relevant sections of law and investigation has been initiated.
“People are requested to cooperate with police till the area is completely sanitized and cleared off of all the explosive materials, if any,” the spokesperson added.
Meanwhile, searches continued in Mishipora area of South Kashmir’s Kulgam district where few gun shots were heard on Wednesday morning after night long lull.
A senior Police told a local news agency GNS that firing resumed at encounter site early morning and then there was again lull.
“Two militants are possibly trapped at the site and one of them was involved in killing Rajni Bala, a school teacher,” the officer added.
36-year-old Rajni Bala wife of Raj Kumar, a resident of Samba in Jammu, was shot dead by suspected militants at High school Gopalpora in Kulgam on 31st May this year.
The encounter had ensued on Tuesday and was suspended due to darkness.
Cop Injured In Grenade Attack
Meanwhile a report from South Kashmir said one policeman was injured on Wednesday in a grenade attack in Bijbehara town.
According to reports, unknown militants lobbed a hand grenade towards a police party in Padshahi Bagh area of Bijbehara on Wednesday evening that exploded with a bang. In the grenade attack, a police officer sustained splinter injuries.
The injured policeman, according to the reports, was removed to the hospital for treatment. His condition is said to be stable.
Soon after the attack, the police and CRPF launched a cordon and search operation in the area to nab the militants, reports said.
Explosives Recovered From Bus In Jammu
Earlier Police recovered explosives in the form of gelatin sticks from a bus carrying an unidentified number of passengers on the outskirts of the city on Wednesday, officials said.
The explosives were detected during a routine check at Jajjar Kotli along Jammu-Srinagar national highway, a police spokesperson said.
He said that experts from Bomb Disposal Squad (BDS) were immediately rushed to the scene and the explosive substance was later detonated through a controlled mechanism.
A case under relevant sections of law was registered at Jajjar Kotli police station and further investigation is underway, the spokesperson said.
The officials said the bus was coming from Doda to Jammu when it was stopped for checking by a police team.
At least two persons were detained for questioning in connection with the presence of the explosive material in the bus along with some detonators, they said.
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