SRINAGAR: A militant killed in a gunfight with the counter-insurgent forces in Bargam village in Awantipora area of south Kashmir’s Pulwama district were affiliated with Jaish-e-Muhammad, police said.
A police spokesman in a statement said that based on a specific input generated by Police regarding the presence of a militant in village Bargam area of Awantipora, a joint cordon and search operation was launched by Police, 42RR and 130Bn CRPF in the said area.
“During the search operation, as the presence of the trapped militant was ascertained, he was given ample opportunities to surrender. However, he denied the surrender opportunities and fired indiscriminately upon the joint search party which was retaliated leading to an encounter,” said the spokesman.
“In the ensuing encounter, the trapped militnat was killed and his body was retrieved from the site of encounter. He has been identified as Sameer Ahmad Tantray son of Ghulam Mohammad Tantray resident of Bargam Awantipora,” he said.
“As per police records, the slain was a categorized terrorist linked with proscribed outfit JeM and was part of groups involved in several terror crime cases. Before joining militant folds he was working as a militant associate and involved in providing logistic support to the active militants in the area,” he added.
“He was also involved in pasting threatening posters of proscribed outfits in Awantipora and adjoining areas to threaten the law-abiding citizens and keep them away from democratic activities,” said the spokesman.
“Incriminating materials including arms and ammunition were recovered from his possession. All the recovered materials have been taken into case records for further investigation,” he said.
“Police have registered cases under relevant sections of law and investigation has been initiated. People are requested to cooperate with Police till the area at the encounter site is completely sanitized and cleared of all the explosive materials if any,” said the police spokesman in a statement.