Srinagar: The killed Lashkar-e-Toiba militant in the Kulgam gunfight has been identified as Amir Yousuf of Shopian, Police said.
A statement of J&K Police issued here said, “On 26 July 2021 at about 5:15 pm, based on specific inputs generated by Police in Srinagar regarding the presence of terrorists in forest area of Gurwattan Aharbal area of Kulgam, a joint cordon and search operation was launched by Police in Kulgam and 62 RR in the said area.”
The statement said, “During the search operation, the hiding terrorists fired at the joint search party, which was retaliated leading to an encounter. Later on CRPF also joined the operation. In the ensuing encounter, one terrorist was killed.”
The Police statement said that due to darkness, the operation was suspended and the cordon remained intact throughout the night.
“In the wee hours, search of the area was continued and body of the killed terrorist was retrieved from the site of encounter. He has been identified as Amir Yousuf Mir alias Haider son of Muhammadd Yousuf Mir of Chek-e-Cholin, Shopian linked with proscribed terror outfit LeT,” the Police statement said.
It said, “As per the Police records, the killed terrorist Amir Yousuf Mir alias Haider was A+ categorised terrorist and was active since 2017 and was involved in several terror crime cases including attacks on security forces and civilian atrocities. He had a long history of terror crime cases which included firing upon the motorcade of SP Shopian at Landoora Hermain Crossing in which the vehicle of SP Shopian got damaged, kidnapping of three Police personnel from their homes at Batagund Kapran area on 21 September 2018 and subsequently killing them. Besides, he was also involved in a series of attacks on Police and security establishments. He was also part of a group involved in firing at the Army camp at Mantribugh Shopian and Police Station Shopian, besides threatening local Panchs.”
The statement said that incriminating materials, arms and ammunition including an AK-47 rifle, one pistol and three AK magazines were recovered from the site of encounter.
“All the recovered materials has been taken into case records for further investigation and to probe their complicity in other terror crimes,” the Police statement said.
It said that in this connection, Police registered a case under the relevant sections of law and started investigation.