Arrested hybrid militant killed in militant firing in Shopian: Police

SRINAGAR — Jammu & Kashmir Police on Wednesday said the hybrid militant, who was arrested by it, was killed in the firing of another militant after contact was established with militants in Shopian district of south Kashmir.

Kashmir Zone Police in a tweet as per the news agency KNO said that Imran Bashir Ganie, who was arrested by it for the killing of two non-locals, was killed by another militant after security forces established contact with them.

“Based on the disclosure of arrested hybrid terrorist and in continuous raids by police and security forces, another contact has been established between terrorists and security forces at Nowgam Shopian, in which hybrid terrorist namely Imran Bashir Ganaie was killed by the firing of another terrorist,” Kashmir Police Zone said in a tweet.

“Incriminating materials, arms and ammunition has been recovered from the hideout/site of contact. The search is still going on. Further details shall follow,” the police tweeted.

Notably, police on Tuesday claimed to have arrested Imran Bashir Ganaie of Harmain, who according to it, lobbed a grenade in which two labourers from UP were killed.

Meanwhile, police in a statement to KNO said that after the ‘terror’ incident at Hermain Shopian on the intervening night of 17/18 October, in which two outside labourers were killed by ‘terrorists’, the investigation into the terror crime was immediately started.

During the course of the investigation, it was revealed that the grenade at the accommodation of the labourers was thrown by one hybrid militant linked with proscribed terror outfit LeT identified as Imran Bashir Ganie of Hermain Shopian, police said.

They said the hybrid militant along with his accomplice was promptly arrested within hours of the terror crime and added that various joint raids along with security forces were launched on the basis of disclosures made by the accused about militants and their hideouts. “In one of the raids on a hideout at Dongri Nala near Landoora bridge, contact was established with the hiding militants but they managed to escape from the spot after initial fire,” the spokesman said.

Following his disclosure, another raid was conducted in Nowgam orchards of Shopian where he had earlier met with other militants responsible for his recruitment in ‘terror’ ranks besides providing a grenade to him, a joint anti-terrorist operation was launched in the said area in the midnight after the accused agreed to show the exact place of hideout in the orchards, the police spokesperson said.

“During the search operation, the hiding militants fired upon the joint search party, in which the arrested hybrid militant who was accompanying and leading the search party for identifying the place got injured. He was shifted to hospital where he was declared brought dead,” police added further.

Taking advantage of the darkness, the militant managed to escape from the spot. Incriminating materials, arms and ammunition has been recovered from the spot, police said, adding that all the recovered materials have been taken into case records for further investigation.

Political parties demand probe into the killing of ‘hybrid militant’

Political parties have reacted over the killing of an arrested hybrid militant Imran Bashir.

Member Parliament and National Conference leader Justice (retired) Hasnain Masoodi while demanding an independent and impartial probe into the killing of Imran Bashir Ganie said that civilian killings call for outright condemnation and cannot be condoned on any ground whatsoever.

Peoples Democratic Party president Mehbooba Mufti took to Twitter and wrote: “Using dubious nomenclature- hybrid militant and chance encounter to justify civilian killings has become the norm in Kashmir. Imran Ganai arrested by the police & then killed in their custody allegedly by another militant defies logic & deserves a thorough investigation.”

CPI (Marxist) also demands probe into the killing

State Secretary of CPI (Marxist), Ghulam Nabi Malik in a statement issued today has condemned the alleged custodial killing of Imran Bashir Ganie of Hermain Shopian and demanded a credible probe into this unfortunate incident.

The statement reads that it is widely perceived that the said person had not been involved in any unlawful activity.

“Recently in Shopian area, one Kashmiri Pandit and two non-local labourers have been brutally killed which has to be condemned by the whole society irrespective of affiliations and culprits have to be brought to justice,” the statement concluded.