Jammu and Kashmir Police on Monday said the three militants killed in a gunfight with the security forces in Tral area of south Kashmir’s Pulwama district were affiliated with Hizb-ul-Mujahideen outfit.
In a statement, a police spokesman said that the gunfight broke out after the joint party of the Awantipora police, 42 RR of the army and 180 BN CRPF launched a cordon and search operation in Mandoora village of Tral.
“During the search operation as the presence of militants got ascertained they were given an opportunity to surrender, however, they fired indiscriminately upon the joint search party, which was retaliated leading to an encounter,” he said.
In the ensuing encounter, three militants were killed and their bodies were retrieved from the site of the encounter.
They have been identified as Waris Hassan resident of Naibugh, Aarif Bashir resident of Monghama and Ahtisham ul Haq resident of Check Noorpora area of Awantipora. All the killed militants were linked with proscribed outfit HM.
As per police records, the slain militants were part of groups involved in several crimes, said the spokesman.
On 02/01/2021, Arif Bashir lobbed a hand grenade on security forces near Bus Stand Tral resulting in splinter injuries to one SF jawan and eight civilians. Militant Waris Hassan along with others was involved in firing upon a patrolling party of Awantipora Police on 05/10/2020. In this regard a case vide FIR No. 140/2021 U/S 7/25 Arms Act 13 UA(P) Act has been registered in Police Station Awantipora, said the spokesman.
Besides, the group was also involved in threatening posters of HM outfit to keep the public away from elections and also pasting of threat posters in Dadsara area on 02/12/2020. Accordingly, a case vide FIR No. 182/2020 U/S 506 IPC 13 ULA (P) stands already registered at PS Awantipora.