PULWAMA Two Hizb-ul-Mujahideen militants, both close associates of outfit’s Kashmir chief Reyaz Naikoo, were killed in encounter with government forces at Khrew area of Awantipora in south Kashmirs Pulwama district, police said on Thursday.
Police said that a cordon and search operation was launched before dawn jointly by the police and government forces following “credible inputs about the presence of militants in Sharshali area of Khrew.
As the searches were going on, the search party was fired upon by the militants. The fire was retaliated, leading to a gunfight, said a police spokesman.
In the ensuing gunfight, he said, two militants identified Adnan Ahmad Lone alias Uqaab, son of Ghulam Mohammad Lone resident of Braw Bandina, Awantipora and Adil Bilal Bhat alias Umair Al Hizbi son of Bilal Ahmad Bhat resident of Malangpora, Pulwama were killed.
“As per police records, Adnan Lone was known as district commander of Pulwama for HM,” said a police spokesman.
Both the militants were involved in a series of attacks on security establishments, he said.
“Adnan Lone as per police records was one of the top commanders of HM and had a long history of crime records since 2015. He was a close associate of commander Reyaz Naikoo and had escaped from encounter site at Srinagar earlier,” said the spokesman.
Another slain militant, Adil Bhat, was also a close associate of Reyaz Naikoo. He also figured in killing of HC Ashiq Hussain at Awantipora in October 2017.”
Meanwhile, multiple rounds of funeral prayers were held for both the slain militants.
Witnesses said that three rounds of funeral prayers were held for Adnan Lone and four rounds for Adil Bhat. They said that thousands of people took part in the funeral prayers held at their native villages.
The internet was napped in the district soon after the gunfight started in the Khrew, reports said.
Slain With Jatt, Sopore Militant Laid to Rest
Govt Forces Use Force Against Mourners; Shutdown In Apple Town, Budgam Parts
Government forces on Thursday fired teargas, fired pellets and resorted to aerial firing on the mourners during the funeral prayers of slain militant Mehraj-ud-Din in Sopore area of north Kashmir’s Baramulla district.
Mehraj-ud-Din alias Maroof and Kaleemullah, a resident of New colony Sopore was killed along with top Let commander Naveed Jatt in a gunfight with the government forces in Chattergam area of central Kashmir’s Budgam district.
The funeral prayers of Mehraj-ud-Din were being held at Iqbal market in Sopore when the government forces resorted to tear gas shelling.
The government forces resorted to use of force at the mourners as the prayers were about to conclude.
Mehraj, who as per police was an overground worker of the militants, had reportedly fled away from a police station in Sopore on 5 October 2018, just four days after his arrest.
Meanwhile, a complete shutdown is being observed today in several parts of Central Kashmir’s Budgam district against the killing Naveed Jatt and his associate at Kuthipora Chattergam area.
All the shops, schools, petrol pumps and other business establishments of the Bagati Kanipora and Chadoora area remained shut.
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