SRINAGAR: Jammu and Kashmir Police on Saturday said the militants killed in a gunfight with the counter-insurgent forces in south Kashmir’s Pulwama district were affiliated with Hizb ul Mujahideen outfit.
A police spokesman in a statement said that on a specific input regarding presence of militants in village Zadoora area of Pulwama, a joint cordon and search operation was launched by Police, 50RR and 182/183BN CRPF in the said area.
“During the search operation, as the presence of militants got ascertained they were given the opportunity to surrender, however they fired indiscriminately upon the joint search party, which was retaliated leading to an encounter,” said the spokesman.
He said that in the ensuing encounter, three militants were killed and their bodies were retrieved from the site of encounter.
“They have been identified as Adil Hafiz, Arshid Ahmad Dar and Rouf Ahmad Mir all residents of Pulwama and affiliated with proscribed outfit HM,” he said.
“During the said encounter, one Army man also received critical injuries and was shifted to hospital for treatment where he succumbed to his injuries and died,” he added.
The spokesman said that slain militants had a long history of crime records. They were part of groups involved in planning and executing several attacks in the area including attacks on Police and security establishments.
“As per police records, Adil Hafiz was involved in case FIR No. 112/2020 pertaining to the attack on Naka party at Prichoo Bridge in which one police personnel was killed and another was injured,” he said.
“Keeping in view the prevailing pandemic due to COVID-19 and to ensure the safety of people from the inherent risk of contracting the infection, the dead bodies of the militants shall be sent to Baramulla for burial purposes after completion of all medico-legal formalities. The nearest family members of the slain militants shall be allowed to participate in the last rites at Baramulla,” he added.
“Incriminating materials including arms & ammunition were recovered from the site of encounter. All the recovered materials have been taken into case records for further investigation and to probe their complicity in other crimes,” said the spokesman.
“In this connection, a case under relevant sections of law has been registered in Police Station Pulwama and investigation has been initiated,” he said.
“People are requested to cooperate with police till the area is completely sanitized and cleared of all the explosive materials if any,” said police spokesman in a statement.
