Palhalan tense, police resorts to teargas shelling
SRINAGAR: Police on Thursday claimed to have achieved a major success by killing the most wanted Lashkar-e-Taiba commander in Kashmir during an overnight encounter in the old quarter of the capital city.
Hilal Ahmad Rather alias Hilal Molvi died fighting a joint party of SOG and CRPF in Narparistan area of Fateh Kadal, Srinagar.
This is the first encounter in the old city after nearly a decade which, according to police, also left three police men including a sub inspector injured.
Giving details a police spokesman said that after receiving a specific input of a Lashkar operative hiding in a residential house, Special Operations Group of Police and CRPF cordoned off the congested Narparistan locality at around 2 a.m on the intervening night of Wednesday and Thursday.
Inspector General of Police Kashmir Abdul Gani Mir said that Hilal tried to break off the cordon and jumped from one house to another at 5 am in the morning and lobbed at least four grenades towards forces. According to the IGP, Hilal was later killed in the retaliatory firing.
According to police during the firefight, Lashkar commander was killed whereas three police men, including sub inspector Taseer Ahmad and constables Basharat Ahmad and Mukhtar Ahmad sustained injuries, they added.
Khurshid Ahmed Wani, a local resident said his son Muzamil Khurshid received a phone call around 10 during night on Wednesday. He took the vehicle of one of our neighbours and left the house informing us that one of his friends had met with an accident.
At around 1:30 during night somebody knocked at our door and we came out quickly believing that it was Muzamil. We were shocked to see pistol borne youth entering our premises. The youth advised us to remain silent and jumped over the wall. Suddenly security forces cordoned our house and ransacked the house.
They snatched all our mobile phones and seized the laptop of Muzamil, Wani said adding that the whereabouts of his son Muzamil were not known.
Residents of Narparistan said that first blasts were heard at around 4:30 in the morning. We were scared to hear grenade explosions one after another. At least four grenades were lobbed and after that we heard gun shots. Nobody dared to come out as security personnel had cordoned off the area. They searched various houses, residents said.
Residents alleged that Hilal Molvi was killed in the shootout in an abandoned piece of land where he had hidden himself in bushes.
A mufti who had passed-out from Deoband, Hilal Ahmad Rather of New Colony, Palhalan, was also known as the Azhar Masood of Kashmir for his fiery speeches before he joined Lashkar and went on to head the group’s operations in north Kashmir.
Police said Hilal was involved in the killing of a National Conference sarpanch in Palhallan and also a counter-insurgent in Kunzer. He also masterminded several grenade attacks in and around Pattan, they say.
A complete shutdown was observed in Palhallan and Pattan to protest against Hilal’s death. Hundreds of people took to the streets in Palhallan raising pro-freedom slogans.
Hurriyat (G) leader Syed Ali Shah Geelani said his death was a “great loss to the freedom movement”.
Police sources added that Hilal Molvi was a top rank commander in Lashkar e Toiba who was wanted to police in 10 different cases.
Pertinently Director General Police Ashok Prasad had last month said that the slain militant was wanted for the attack on police patrol party at Hygam Sopore that left four policemen dead.
Palhalan Mourns Death
Widespread demonstrations broke out in Palhalan area of Pattan Thursday soon after news of the death of local militant commander Hilal Ahmad reached there.
A complete shutdown was observed in the area with shops and business establishments closed and traffic off the roads. Hundreds of people from Pattan, Palhalan, Wusan, Goshubugh and other areas were waiting for the arrival of his body at his native village to offer his funeral prayers.
Youth pelted stones on police when the news about his death spread in the area. Police resorted to teargas shelling to disperse the youth. A police official said that agitated youth tried to block the Highway; however police swung into action and dispersed them.
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