Srinagar: Three militants affiliated with Hizbul Mujahideen were killed on Tuesday night in a brief encounter in Tral.
Among the slain trio included the top Hizb commander who replaced slain Hammad Khan in Tral recently.
According to police, the cordon and search operation was launched after a credible input about presence of militants was received. During searches, militants fired on the search party ensuing into a gunfight.
Director General of Police Dilbagh Singh identified the militants as Jehangir Ahmad Wani, who had taken over the command of the outfit in the area after the killing of Hammad. The other two included Raja Umer Maqbool and Sadaat Ahmad Thokar.
Jehangir, according to Singh, was involved in arson and killing of forces.
“They were also involved in incidents of arson including a firing incident at a mosque and burning of a shop and a truck,” he told reporters here.
Huge arms and ammunition was recovered from the encounter site which included two AK rifles, a pistol and two grenades, he said.
With the killing of trio, the total toll of militants killed this year has reached 23 in encounters across Jammu and Kashmir. Nineteen militants were killed in eight operations while four were killed in two operations in Jammu region.
The DGP said they have arrested over 40 overground workers who were involved in facilitating militants in the valley.
“It was heartening that eight youths, who had left homes to join militant ranks, have been reunited with their families after realising the futility of their decision,” Singh added.
Meanwhile, a complete shutdown was observed in north Kashmir’s Baramulla town on Wednesday after the news about the killings broke out.
On Wednesday morning police informed a family of Old town Baramulla to identify body of their son Uzair Amin Bhat of Chesti Colony Baramulla slain in a gunfight with government forces in south Kashmir Tral. As the news spread in the town, shopkeepers and other traders shut their business and a complete strike was observed throughout the day. However, public and private transport plied on roads. The police blocked all the three main bridges including Cement bridge, Kharpora bridge and Azadgung bridge which connects Old Town with Baramulla market and movement of people was stopped. However in the afternoon family of Uzair clarified that the slain is not their son prompting people to resume their work. 2G mobile internet services which were blocked in Baramulla were also restored in the afternoon.

Junaid Nabi Bazaz