Gunfight ends with the killing of four militants in Shopian

SRINAGAR — At least four militants were killed in an encounter that raged between government forces and militants in orchards within Panzer and Daramdoora area of Shopian on Sunday.

Officials said that four militants affiliated with Ansar Gazwat-ul-Hind were killed in the gunfight.

Earlier, after receiving specific inputs about the presence of militants, a joint team of forces including Army’s 44 RR and SOG launched search operation in the area, a police official said.

On intensifying search towards the suspected spot, the hiding militants fired upon forces which was retaliated and triggered the encounter, he said.

During the ensuing exchange of fire, four militants were killed, a police official said and identified the slain militants as Showkat Ahmad alias Arshid from Chandpora Rajpora, Azad Ahmad Khanday alias Molvi from Bamnoo Pulwama, Suhail Yousuf from Berthipora Shopian and Rafee Hassan Mir from Kralcheck Shopian.

A police spokesman said that among the four slain militants, Showkat had a long history of crime records. He was initially part of proscribed outfit HM.

“Showkat, as per police records, was wanted by law for his complicity in a series of crimes including attack on security establishments and civilian atrocities. Several crime cases were registered against him including Case FIR No. 113/2016 of P/S Rajpora pertaining to firing on a guard post at Sheikhard, Case FIR No. 02/2017 of P/S Rajpora pertaining to the lobbing of grenade on security forces, Case FIR No. 20/2017 of P/S Rajpora pertaining to firing on civilians Bashir Ahmad Dar and Altaf Ahmad at Qasabyar in which Bashir Dar succumbed and Altaf was seriously injured, Case FIR No. 21/2017 of P/S Rajpora pertaining to civilian atrocities and Case FIR No. 01/2019 of P/S Rajpora pertaining to killing of a policeman Sameer Ahmad,” said the spokesman.

“Showkat Mir was instrumental in the recruitment of Azad Ahmad, Rafi Hassan and Suhail Ahmad who had recently joined the militant fold,” he said.

“Pertinently with the efforts of Police and security forces, it was a clean operation. No collateral damage happened during the encounter,” he added.

“Incriminating material including arms & ammunition was recovered from the site of encounter. All these materials have been taken in the case records for further investigation and to probe their complicity in other terror crime cases,” he said.

“People are requested to cooperate with police till the area is completely sanitized and cleared of all the explosives materials if any,” said the spokesman.