Srinagar Jan 3: Police on Monday claimed to have killed two LeT militants, including a local top commander from north Kashmir’s Bandipora, in Shalimar and Gasu areas of Srinagar.
“Based on specific input generated by Police regarding presence of terrorist in Harwan/Shalimar area, a search operation was launched by Srinagar Police and CRPF in the said area. During the search operation, the search party was fired upon indiscriminately by hiding terrorist, which was effectively retaliated leading to a brief shootout & elimination of a dreaded terrorist Saleem Parray, linked with proscribed terror outfit LeT,” a police spokesman said.
“Soon after the said operation, another operation was carried out by Police, CRPF alongwith Army in Gasu area under PS Zakoora. During the said operation, one foreign terrorist identified as Hafiz @ Hamza of Pakistan linked with proscribed terror outfit LeT was neutralized, ” he added.
As per police, Parray was active since 2016 and was involved in several civilian killings including of Bashir Ahmad Dar and his brother Ghulam Hassan Dar at Shahgund Hajin in north Kashmir’s Bandipora on May 5, 2018, Hilal Ahmad Parray at Parray Mohalla Hajin on May 16 the same year even as “he was also involved in throat slitting of many civilians in Hajin area”.
IGP Kashmir Vijay Kumar while interacting with media persons after the twin shootouts said that slain Hamza was “involved in several terror crimes including recent killing of two policemen at Gulshan Chowk Bandipora on 10/12/21 and after this terror crime, he shifted to Harwan area of Srinagar due to frequent cordon & search operations in Bandipora area”. “He was also involved in killing of a CRPF personnel at Hajin Bandipora, killing of a civilian namely Nadif Hanief Khan of Bilal Colony Soura in Buchpora, ” IGP said.
“Moreover, both the killed terrorists were also involved in attack on search party of Police/SFs in Hajin in which one police personnel Ct Zaheer Abbas got martyred”.
As per police, “incriminating materials, arms and ammunition” were recovered from both the encounter sites.
Police have registered cases under relevant sections of law regarding both the encounters and further investigation has been initiated. IGP Kashmir congratulated police and SFs for conducting the “successful operations without any collateral damage”.