Srinagar, Aug 7: Security forces on Saturday killed a militant at Mochwa, Chadoora in central Kashmir’s Budgam district, and arrested another who escaped during the operation, along with a truck driver, police said.
The slain militant was identified as Shakir Bashir Dar of militant outfit Al-Badr and a resident of Awantipora in southern Kashmir. The apprehended militant was identified as Shabir Ahmad Najar of Khrew, and the arrested truck driver as Muhammad Shafi Dar of Khrew.
The operation, police said, was launched after specific information about the presence of militants in the area.
A joint party of Police, 50 Rashtriya Rifles and CRPF cordoned off the area and started the searches, police said, adding that the hiding militants were given “ample opportunity” to surrender, but they refused and lobbed grenade and opened fire on joint parties.
“#BudgamEncounterUpdate: 01 unidentified #terrorist killed. One AK 47 rifle & one pistol recovered. #Search going on. Further details shall follow. @JmuKmrPolice,” Kashmir Zone Police said in tweet. It added one militant escaped during the cordon and he too along with a driver was arrested.
“#BudgamEncounterUpdate: 2nd #terrorist who escaped from #encounter site, after following a lead, has been #arrested in Khrew. A pistol & a grenade has been recovered from his possession. Truck driver also arrested: IGP Kashmir @JmuKmrPolice,”
Meanwhile, a police handout said: “Acting on a specific information generated by Budgam Police about presence of terrorists in Mochwa Chadoora area of Budgam, a joint cordon and search operation was launched by Police, 50RR and 181BN CRPF in the said area.
“During the search operation as the presence of terrorists got ascertained they were given opportunity to surrender, however, instead of surrendering they fired indiscriminately upon the joint search party which was retaliated leading to an encounter.
“In the ensuing encounter, one terrorist of proscribed terror outfit Al-Badr was killed and his body was retrieved from the site of encounter. He has been identified as Shakir Bashir Dar son of Bashir Ahmad Dar resident of Goripora, Awantipora.
“The killed terrorist was part of groups involved in various terror crime cases and several terror crime cases were registered against him.
“Shakir Bashir was earlier working as a terrorist associate with proscribed terror outfit LeT and joined terror folds of proscribed terror outfit Al-Badr recently. Incriminating materials, arms and ammunition including 01 AK-rifle with 02 Magazines, 32 rounds, 1 Chinese pistol with 02 Magazines, 16 rounds, 01 Bagpack and 01 Pouch were recovered from the site of encounter.
“While the said operation was in progress, it was learnt that while laying cordon another terrorist had managed to escape from the encounter site and the information was shared with Awantipora Police. Awantipora Police while developing the lead further launched a cordon and search operation in Mantaqi Colony Khrew area along with 50RR and 185BN CRPF. During search, the escaped terrorist was tracked down and arrested while hiding in a truck bearing registration No. JK13-2397. He has been identified as Shabir Ahmad Najar resident of Wuyan Khrew linked with proscribed terror outfit LeT. The driver of the truck identified as Mohd Shafi Dar resident of Gratwani Mohalla Khrew has also been arrested. Besides the said truck has also been seized.
“Incriminating materials, arms & ammunition including 01 Chinese Pistol, 01 Pistol Magazine, 07 Pistol rounds, 02 AK-Magazines, 50 AK-rounds, 01 Chinese grenade, 5Kgs IED (destroyed on spot) were also recovered from the site.”
IGP Kashmir has congratulated joint teams of Police/SF for showing the “exemplary coordination in conducting successful operation in professional manner without any collateral damage and tracking down the escaped terrorist,” the statement said.
Besides the IGP Kashmir appealed “to the parents of newly recruited terrorists to bring their children back to mainstream”.
Meanwhile, police in this regard have registered cases under relevant sections of law and further investigation is in progress.