Two Jaish-e-Muhammad (JeM) militants, planning to carry out attacks in north Kashmir, were killed in an anti-militancy operation of the security forces in Baramulla’s Sopore on Thursday, the J&K police said.
The duo was surrounded during a joint cordon-and-search operation launched by the police and the Army following a specific input in Bomai village of Sopore.
“As the joint search party approached the suspected spot, the hiding terrorists started indiscriminate firing upon the search party, which was retaliated effectively leading to an encounter. In the initial exchange of fire, one civilian who received gunshot injuries was immediately evacuated to hospital where his condition is stated to be stable,” the police said.
Later, the hiding militants were killed in retaliatory fire. They have been identified as Mohammad Rafi Lone, a resident of Nathipora, Bomai, Sopore and Kaiser Ashraf Dar, a resident of Tujjan, Pulwama.
“Both the killed terrorists were categorized terrorists and involved in several terror crime cases including attacks on security forces and instigating youth to join terror folds,” the police said.
According to the police, Lone had a history of terror crime cases, including a grenade attack on a police party in year 2017.
“He was behind instigating and motivating gullible youth to join terrorism thereby trying to revive the terror outfits in Sopore area for which he was earlier booked twice under the Public Safety Act (PSA),” the police said.
Additional Director General of Police, Kashmir, Vijay Kumar said a major threat was averted by eliminating these terrorists. “They were planning to attack civilians in Sopore area,” Mr. Kumar said.
Meanwhile, the police identified a terrorist hideout in the forest area of Syedabad Pastuna Tral.
“Incriminating materials of proscribed terrorist outfit JeM and materials like edible items, utensils etc. were recovered from the hideout. All the recovered materials have been taken into police custody for the purpose of investigation,” the police said.
In another operation in north Kashmir, the police said 1,460 bullets of AK-47 rifles were recovered in Dudbug -TY Shah Forest area in Baramulla.
“During a search operation, teams recovered two boxes of ammunition from an underground hideout under a tree. The seizure included 1,460 bullets of AK-47,” the police said.
