SRINAGAR: Two militants killed in a gunfight with the counter-insurgent forces in Warpora area in Sopore town in north Kashmir’s Baramulla district were affiliated with Lashkar-e-Toiba outfit, an official said.
A police spokesman in a statement said that acting on a specific information generated by Srinagar Police about presence of militants in village Warpora area of Sopore, a joint cordon and search operation was launched by Police, 22RR and CRPF in the said area.
The spokesman in a statement said that during the search operation as the presence of militants got ascertained they were given repeated opportunities to surrender. However, instead of surrendering they fired indiscriminately upon the joint search party which was retaliated leading to an encounter.
“In the ensuing encounter, two categorized militants of proscribed outfit LeT were killed and their bodies were retrieved from the site of encounter. They have been identified as Fayaz Ahmad War @Rukana @Umar son of Gh Mohi-Ud-Din War resident of Warpora a top commander of proscribed outfit LeT and Shaheen Ahmad Mir @Shaheen Molvi son of Mohd Kamal Mir resident of Cherpora Budgam,” said the spokesman.
“As per police records, both the militants were part of groups involved in various crime cases were registered against them,” he said.
“Pertinently slain militant Fayaz Ahmad War had a long history of crime cases, as he was associated with militancy since year 2008. Although he had surrendered earlier with arms & ammunition yet after his release he again worked as militant associate for proscribed outfit HM and was detained under PSA,”he added.
“However after his release, in March-2020 he again joined militant ranks of proscribed outfit LeT. Besides, being part of groups involved in several crime cases, he was very instrumental in planning and executing attacks on security establishments and civilian killings and figured among the list of most wanted militants in North Kashmir,” said the spokesman.
“Fayaz was the last active militant who perpetrated a series of various crimes and violence in north Kashmir which included attack on Police party at Warpora Sopore on 04/03/2020 in which one police personnel and a civilian got killed, attack on Joint Naka party at Ahad Baba crossing on 18/04/2020 in which 03 CRPF personnel got killed, killing of one civilian namely Danish Manzoor Najar resident of Eidipora Bomai, attack on joint Naka party of Police & CRPF at Model Town Sopore in which 01 civilian namely Bashir Ahmad Khan resident of HMT Srinagar and a CRPF personnel got killed, firing upon Municipal councillors at Lone Mohalla Building near SDH Sopore on 12/06/2021 in which 02 Municipal councillors and a police personnel were killed, killing of two police personnel and two civilians at Main Chowk Sopore,” he said.
“Moreover, he was also involved in a series of grenade attacks on Police/Security establishments in areas of PD Sopore. On 26/05/2020, he carried out a grenade attack on Police Post Potukhah, on 12/12/2020 grenade attack on PP Bus Stand in which 04 civilians got injured, on 13/03/2021 another grenade attack on PP Bus Stand in which 02 police personnel got injured,” he added.
“Incriminating materials, arms and ammunition including 02 AK-47 rifles, 04 Magazines 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 police spokesman in a statement.
“In this connection, Police has registered a case under relevant sections of law 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 the spokesman.
