SRINAGAR: A Jaish-e-Mohammad (JeM) commander was killed among two militants in a gunfight with counter insurgent forces in a village in Awantipora in south Kashmir’s Pulwama district on Monday.
A police spokesman in a statement said that acting on specific information generated by Police regarding the presence of militants in village Wandakpora area of Awantipora, a joint cordon & search operation was launched by Police, Army (55RR) and CRPF (130Bn) in the said area.
The spokesman said that during the search operation, as the joint search party approached towards the suspected spot, the hiding militants fired indiscriminately upon the joint search party which was retaliated effectively leading to an encounter.
He said that in the ensuing encounter, 02 local militants of proscribed outfit JeM were killed and their bodies were retrieved from the site of encounter.
He added that they have been identified as Kaisar Rashid Koka son of Ab Rashid Koka resident of Tengpora, Kaigam and Ishaq Ahmad Lone son of Ghulam Nabi Lone resident of Lelhar, Pulwama.
“As per police records, the killed militant Kaiser Koka was a categorized militant and involved in several crime cases including attacks on Police/security forces and civilian atrocities,” he said.
He added that he was active since year 2018 and had ex-filtrated to Pakistan.
“After acquiring arms/ammunition and training, he infiltrated back to Kashmir valley and was active in the areas of Awantipora, Pulwama. He was involved in an IED attack at Larmoo Awantipora on 02/05/2022 in which 02 CRPF personnel got injured,” said the spokesman.
He said that while as, the other slain militant Ishaq Ahmad Lone was a hybrid militant and was also involved in several cases including attacks on Police/security forces and civilian atrocities,” he said.
Incriminating materials, arms & ammunition were recovered from the site of encounter. All the recovered materials have been taken into case records for further investigation, he added.
“In this regard, a case under relevant sections of law has been registered and investigation has been initiated. People are requested to cooperate with Police till the area at encounter site is completely sanitized and cleared of all the explosive materials, if any,” said police spokesman in a statement.
