Srinagar, April 24: A 17-year-old boy from Srinagar’s Khanyar is among the three LeT militants killed in a gunfight in Pulwama district on Sunday, IGP Kashmir Vijay Kumar said.
In a statement issued after the gunfight, IGP Kashmir identified one of the three slain militants as Arif Hazar alias Rehan deputy of LeT’s top commander Basit police said was involved in killings of Insp Parvez infront of a mosque in Srinagar’s Nowgam, SI Arshid Ahmad and a mobile shop owner in downtown.
“Arif Hazar @ Rehan deputy of LeT’s top cmdr Basit killed in PulwamaEncounter. Involved in killings of Insp Parvez infront of mosque, SI Arshid & 1 mobile shop owner in downtown. Several FIRs against him in Sgr city. Identification of other 2 terrorists yet to done,” IGP Kashmir said.
While police is yet to officially identify the other two militants, news agency GNS quoted the IGP Kashmir saying they have been identified as ‘Haqqani’ of Pakistan and teenager Natish Shakeel Wani of Baba Demb area of Srinagar’s Khanyar, who went missing on April 16.
Natish had left for afternoon (Zuhr) prayers on the day and had been missing since. While family had issued appeal to him to return, police said he had joined militant ranks.
The trio was killed in the gunfight at Pahoo area of south Kashmir’s Pulwama district on Sunday afternoon.
The gunfight had ensued as a joint team of Police and army launched a cordon and search operation in the area amid reports about the presence of militants.