Three local Lashkar-e-Toiba militants were killed in a gunfight in the Vailoo Kokernag area of south Kashmir’s Anantnag district on Tuesday, police said.
The militants have been identified as Ilyas Ahmad Dar alias Sameer of Danwathpora Kokernag, Ubaid Shafi alias Abdullah of Batamaloo Srinagar and Aqib Ahmad Lone alias Sahil of Khandaypora Kulgam.
“Today at about 0400hrs, Anantnag Police while acting on specific input regarding presence of three terrorists in a residential house at village Sheikhpora, Vailoo area of Kokernag, a joint cordon and search operation was launched by Police, 19RR and CRPF in the said area,” a police spokesman said in a statement.
The statement added that during the search operation, as the presence of militants got ascertained, they were given an opportunity to surrender. “However, they fired indiscriminately upon the joint search party which was retaliated, leading to an encounter,” it read.
As per the police statement, the joint teams also rescued all the civilians trapped in the gunfire and halted the operation for the time to ensure safety and safe evacuation of people from the area of the gunfight. Later the operation was resumed and all three were killed in the gunfight.
Police said that one AK-47 rifle, two pistols, and “incriminating materials” were recovered from the site of gunfight site.
“Bodies of the killed terrorists were retrieved from the site of encounter and they have been identified as Ilyas Ahmad Dar alias Sameer resident of Danwathpora Kokernag, Ubaid Shafi alias Abdullah resident of Batamaloo Srinagar and Aqib Ahmad Lone alias Sahil resident of Khandaypora Kulgam,” the statement reads.
“As per police records, all the killed terrorists were linked with proscribed terror outfit LeT and part of the groups involved in several terror crime cases including attacks on security forces and security establishments,” read the statement.
Meanwhile, as per the statement, IGP Kashmir Vijay Kumar congratulated the police and the government forces for conducting a successful operation without any collateral damage. He also appealed to parents to bring their wards into the mainstream.
The last rites of the killed militants shall be performed after conducting medico-legal formalities and the nearest family members of local militants shall be allowed to participate in the rites, it read.
“The last rites of the killed (militants) shall be performed after conducting medico-legal formalities and the nearest family members of local (militants) shall be allowed to participate in the last rites.”
In this connection, police have registered a case under relevant sections of law and an 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,” read the statement.
