New recruit among three Lashkar-e-Toiba militants killed in Shopian

SRINAGAR — Jammu and Kashmir Police on Tuesday said that three militants including a wanted Lashkar-e-Toiba militant were killed in an encounter at Munjh Marg area of southern district of Shopian. Police said that one of the slain was a new recruit from Old Town Baramulla.

Kashmir Zone Police in a tweet, while quoting ADGP Kashmir as per the news agency KNO, said that among three killed militants, two are local including Lateef Lone from Shopian and Umer Nazir from Anantnag.

He said that Lateef was involved in the killing of Kashmiri Pandit Purana Krishan Bhat of Chowdrigund while Umer Nazir was involved in the killing of Nepali labourer Till Bahadur Thapa at Bon Dialgam Anantnag. He added that one AK-47 rifle and two pistols were recovered from the encounter spot.

“Among 03 neutralised local terrorists, 02 identified as Lateef Lone of Shopian, involved in killing of a Kashmiri Pandit Shri Purana Krishna Bhat & Umer Nazir of Anantnag, involved in killing of Till Bahadur Thapa of Nepal. 01 AK 47 rifle & 2 pistols recovered: ADGP Kashmir,” Kashmir Police Zone tweeted.

Talking to reporters at Ganderbal, ADGP Kashmir Vijay Kumar, as per KNO, said that the third slain is a new recruit from Old Town Baramulla. “All the militants involved in the killing of minorities have been neutralized and only one is surviving whose name is Adil Wani, who is being tracked down,” he said.

Present on the occasion, DGP Dilbagh Singh said that the security situation was most peaceful in Kashmir at present. “Dal Lake is looking more beautiful and tourists are coming despite the fall in the temperatures. Some militant modules are active to sustain militancy while outfits have been, by and large, wiped out,” he said.

The DGP said that the security situation was improving with each passing day. “In the next three to four months, the situation will be more peaceful,” he said.

To a query about threats being issued by TRF, the DGP said that these are tactics to keep the fear of militancy alive and this all is being done by the ISI. “These people are targeting non-locals, minorities, and innocents. Pakistan can’t decide who will live in Kashmir. It is the J&K Government that will decide who has to stay in Kashmir to work here,” he said.

The DGP said that militant figures are in double digits vis-à-vis, locals and foreigners. “Anti-militancy operations are going on every week. Remaining elements of militancy will be cleaned very soon,” he said, adding that people need not fear.

He said that there is a possibility that some remaining hiding militants may change their base and shift to residential areas given the fall in temperatures. “We are ready to face militants in orchards as well as in forests,” he said.