Srinagar: Two militants were killed and three Central Reserve Police Force personnel were injured in an encounter at Alamdar Colony, Danmar area of Srinagar on Friday.
Police identified the slain militants as Irfan Ahmad Sofi son of Nazir Ahmad Sofi, and Bilal Ahmad Bhat son of Manzoor Ahmad Bhat, both residents of Natipora, Srinagar. “They were active since Dec-2020,” police said.
During the fire fight one residential house where the militants had taken shelter was damaged.
Inspector General of Police, Kashmir zone, Vijay Kumar said that both the militants were given “ample opportunity” to lay down arms. “However they did not relent and opened fire on the joint security forces party,” he said.
“Three of our men have received minor injuries and they are stable,” the CRPF spokesman told Greater Kashmir.
Police said that the gunfight broke out Friday morning after the police and the CRPF launched a joint Cordon and Search Operation in Alamdar Colony falling within the jurisdiction of Police Station Safa Kadal on “specific information generated by the Srinagar police”.
Police said that as per its records, “both the slain were part of groups involved in several crimes including attacks on Police/SFs and civilian atrocities”.
It said: “Both the killed militants executed a series of attacks on policemen, SFs and civilians which include killing of PSO of PDP leader at Natipora on 14/12/2020, attack on ROP of CRPF 73BN in Lawaypora resulting in killing of two CRPF personnel on 25/03/2021.”
“Moreover, on 17/06/2021 they attacked and killed an on-leave police official Ct Javid Ahmad near his residence at Saidpora and on 22/06/2021 attacked and killed Inspector Parvez Ahmad at Menganwari Nowgam while he was on his way to offer prayers in local Masjid. They were also involved in killing of a civilian Umer Nazir Bhat at his shop in Main Chowk Habba Kadal on 23/06/2021,” police said.
“Incriminating materials arms and ammunition including 01 AK-47 rifle, 01 pistol and 04 grenades were recovered from the site of encounter,” it said.
Police said: “All the recovered materials have been taken into case records for further investigation and to probe their complicity in other militant crimes.”
“Pertinently, The Resistance Front recently shared on social media that Irfan & Bilal had left TRF and joined ISJK,” police said. “IGP Kashmir congratulated the joint forces of Police and CRPF for the big success”, police said.
IGP Kashmir also said that during the year 2021, so far 78 militants have been killed in Kashmir valley and most of them were affiliated with proscribed outfit LeT, followed by HM, Al-Badr, JeM & AuGH.