Refusing to surrender, forces kill man who snatched gun in Tral

SRINAGAR — A man, who snatched a gun from a cop and injured him while in police custody at Tral area of south Kashmir’s Pulwama district, was killed after he turned down repeated surrender offers, police said.

A top official said that Mohammed Amin Malik of Nagabal Machama area of Tral, who was arrested some days ago for questioning, today afternoon snatched a gun from SOG personnel and shot at him.

“In the incident, the cop identified as Amjid Ahmad received injuries following which Amin took shelter in the Generator room of the camp,” he said.

He added that his family was rushed to the spot to persuaded him to surrender, however, he turned down the repeated surrender offers.

The top official said that he fired upon forces, which was retaliated and exchange of fire continued for several hours and in the ensuing gunfight, he got killed.

Officials said that Muhammad Amin was an Pak-trained militant who had surrendered before, was arrested properly and was on police remand. His brother Shabbir Malik was also a militant associated with Zakir Musa-led Ansar Ghazwat-ul-Hind, who was later killed in an encounter in 2019.

Person killed in overnight operation was active Hizb militant: Police

Jammu and Kashmir Police on Thursday said that a person killed in an overnight operation at police component complex Tral was an “active militant operative” who was arrested on May 30 along with incriminating material including explosives.

A police official said that Mohd Amin Malik s/o Abdul Ahad Malik R/O Nagbal Machhma, Tral, was an active militant operative, who got neutralised in an overnight operation on 2/3 June jointly conducted by Awantipora Police, 180 Bn CRPF and 42 RR at Police Component complex Tral.

“Amin was arrested on May 30, 2021 along with incriminating materials viz. arms, ammunitions and explosives including unlicensed 12 bore gun, live rounds, explosives, iron/steel balls, 9 feature phones and other war-like stores used in fabrication of IEDs,” the official said.

He added, “A case FIR No. 48/2021 under relevant sections of law was registered at Police Station Tral. Amin was on Police remand and on 2/6/2021, he was brought from Police Station Tral to the Police Component, Tral for further interrogation. During the interrogation, the terror operative got hold of the service rifle (AK-47) of Constable Amjad Khan and fired indiscriminately with the intention to kill the Police personnel. He critically wounded CT Amjad Khan.”

The official said that Amin then took total control of the interrogation room and engaged the Police personnel by firing intermittently from the snatched weapon. “Sensing grave danger to the lives of Police personnel and that of Amin, his mother and Executive Magistrate were brought on the site and repeated sincere efforts were made to persuade him to throw away the weapon and surrender.”

Amin, police said, however, displayed complete defiance to such persuasions and not only refused to surrender but also fired upon the Police party engaged in persuasion. “One of the Police personnel was hit with a bullet on chest and survived because of bulletproof jacket he was wearing,” the official said, adding that “after failing of all efforts to ensure his surrender, the terror operative was engaged in a gun fight following the rules and SoP of such engagement and was neutralized.”

The police official said that the snatched weapon was recovered from the possession of the slain.

“In this regard, case FIR No. 61/2021 under relevant sections of law stands registered at Police Station Tral and investigation taken up. Dead body of slain militant was sent to Police Hospital Srinagar for medico-legal formalities,” the official said.

Police said that it is pertinent to mention that the slain militant operative was active militant of Hizb-ul-Mujahideen in the past and was arrested in 2003. “Further, his brother Shabir Malik was also a militant of AGuH outfit who was eliminated at Brenpathri in 2019,” the official said.