SRINAGAR: Two militants killed in a gunfight with the counter-insurgent forces in Chingam area of south Kashmir’s Kulgam district were affiliated with Jaish-e-Muhammad (JeM) group, police said.
A police spokesman in statement said that on a specific input regarding presence of militants in Chinigam area of Kulgam, a joint cordon and search operation was launched by Police, 1RR and 18 BN CRPF in the said area.
The spokesman said that during the search operation, as the presence of militants got ascertained they were given opportunity to surrender, however instead they fired indiscriminately upon the joint search party, which was retaliated leading to an encounter.
“In the ensuing encounter, 02 militants were killed and their bodies have been retrieved from the site of encounter. They have been identified as Tariq Ahmad Mir son of Abdul Rahman Mir resident of Zangalpora Divsar Kulgam and a Pakistani national identified as Sameer Bhai @Usman resident of Punjab Pakistan (‘A’ category militant), both affiliated with proscribed terror outfit JeM,” said the spokesman.
“As per the police records, both the slain militants were part of groups responsible for carrying out militant attacks. They were involved in many crimes and civilian atrocities including killing of one police personnel namely Khursid Ahmad at Furah Mirbazzar, attack on Sarpanch namely Aarif Ahmad at Akhran Mirbazzar in which he was critically injured,” he said.
The spokesman said that IGP Kashmir appreciated the role of Police/Security forces for timely and safely evacuation of civilians during encounter and for maintaining strict restraint during search of two mosques inside cordon area.
“Incriminating materials including arms and 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,” he said.
“Keeping in view the prevailing pandemic due to COVID-19 and to ensure the safety of people from inherent risk of contracting the infection, the dead bodies of the slain militants shall be sent to Handwara for burial after completion of all medico-legal formalities. The nearest family members of the killed local militant shall be allowed to participate in the last rites,” he added.
“In this connection 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 is completely sanitized and cleared of all the explosive materials, if any,” said police spokesman in a statement.
