ANANTNAG — Two local militants of Lashkar-e-Toiba (LeT) outfit were killed in an encounter that broke out between government forces and militants at Kreeri area of Dooru in Anantnag district of South Kashmir on Tuesday.
Reports said a joint team of government forces including Indian Army, J&K Police and CRPF had launched Cordon-and-Search-Operation (CASO) at Kreeri Dooru following the inputs about presence of militants in the area.
They said that as the joint team of forces approached the suspected spot, militants fired upon them which was retaliated, triggering an encounter.
In the encounter, two local militants of Lashkar-e-Toiba (LeT) outfit were killed and they have been identified as Arif Hussain Bhat from Halsidar Dooru and Suhail Ahmad Lone from Awgam Kulgam.
Incriminating materials, arms & ammunition including 2 AK rifles, one pistol & 2 grenades were recovered from the site of encounter.
Inspector General of Police (IGP) Kashmir Vijay Kumar termed the operation as big success to security forces and said this encounter is important in two aspects firstly “It is the same group of militants who escaped from Watnad encounter on 16/4/22 in which we lost 1 soldier”, and secondly “the encounter site is very close to NHW & imminent threat to NHW & Yatra neutralised”.
As per police records, both the categorized killed militants were part of groups involved in several terror crime cases including attacks on Police/SF and civilian atrocities.
According to police statement, “They were involved in killing of Army Jawan Nishan Singh during a search operation in Watnar Kokernag on 16-04-2022. The killed militant Arif Bhat was involved in killing of ASI Mohammad Ashraf son of Ghulam Mohammad Dar resident of Awantipora near Police Station Bijbehara on 22-12-2021, he was also involved in killing of HC namely Ali Mohd Ganie near his residential house at Hasanpora Tabeela on 29-01-2022”.
“The killed militant Suhail Lone had joined militant ranks on the behest of active militant Raja Nadeem Rather of Ashmuji Kulgam”, the statement said. — (KIMS)