Srinagar, July 23 : Two Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) terrorists who were killed in an encounter with the security forces in North Kashmir’s Sopore, refused to surrender and instead opened indiscriminate fire, police said on Friday.
Acting on specific information generated by Srinagar Police about the presence of terrorists in Sopore’s Warpora area, a joint cordon and search operation was launched by the police, the Army’s 22 RR and CRPF.
“During the search operation, the terrorists were given repeated opportunities to surrender. However, instead of surrendering they fired indiscriminately at the joint search party which was retaliated leading to an encounter,” the police said.
In the ensuing encounter, the two LeT terrorists were killed and their bodies were retrieved from the site.
The victims have been identified as Fayaz Ahmad War alias Rukana alias Umar, a resident of Warpora and top commander of the terror outfit, and Shaheen Ahmad Mir alias Shaheen Molvi, resident of Cherpora, Budgam.
According to the police records, the two were part of groups involved in various criminal activities and several terror crime cases were registered against them.
“Fayaz Ahmad War had a long history of terror crime cases, as he was associated with terrorism since year 2008. Although he had surrendered earlier with arms and ammunition yet after his release he again worked as terrorist associate for proscribed terror outfit Hizbul Mujahideen and was detained under PSA.
“However after his release, in March-2020 he again joined terrorist ranks of proscribed terror outfit LeT. Besides, being part of groups involved in several terror crime cases, he was very instrumental in planning and executing terror attacks on security establishments and civilian killings and figured among the list of most wanted terrorists in North Kashmir,” the police said.
He carried out several attacks against security, including one on a police party in Warpore on March 4, 2020, which claimed the lives of one personnel and a civilian.
“Moreover, he was also involved in a series of grenade attacks on police/security establishments in Sopore. On May 26, 2020, he carried out a grenade attack on Police Post Potukhah, and another one on Decemebr 12, 2020, on the PP Bus Stand in which four civilians were injured, and the latest on March 3, 2021, also on PP Bus Stand in which two police personnel were wounded,” the police further added.
Incriminating materials, arms and ammunition including two AK-47 rifles, and four magazines were recovered from the site of encounter.
“All the recovered materials have been taken into case records for further investigation and to probe their complicity in other terror crimes,” the police said.
Meanwhile IGP Kashmir Vijay Kumar congratulated joint team of Police and security forces for conducting successful operation in professional manner without any collateral damage.
Police have registered a case and investigation has been initiated. (IANS)
