Duo killed by 10 cops in civvies at playground

SRINAGAR: In broad daylight, in presence of dozens of people, two wanted militants were killed by the Jammu and Kashmir Police at Marajpor area in Srinagar on Monday late afternoon. The duo has been identified as commanders of Lashkar-e-Toiba, Abbas Sheikh, and TRF’s Saqib Manzoor.

Inspector General of Police Vijay Kumar said that 10 cops in civvies got the job done. First, he said, they warned them, and later responded to their gun fire, in which the militants were killed. He said the killed duo was responsible for several militancy attacks in Srinagar. Abbas was the motivator for youngsters to join the militant ranks, he added.

When the incident happened, the playground, locally called Khadi mill, where the duo was killed, people were busy playing sports. One of them said that from four sides of the ground police came in civvies, while another two were just sitting nearby, speaking to someone on the phone. As they approached close to the two persons, who were watching the playfield, the firing started, and the militants were killed.

“The sound was like that of a firecracker, but enough to make people run helter skelter. Within a minute the entire ground was empty. In another 10 minutes a huge number of forces came to the ground, while around the same time, those who were killed remained guarding the bodies,” witnesses told Kashmir Reader hours after the encounter at the playground.

The open area where the duo was killed became a reason for people to gather around. People in various groups recalled their observations of the scene, which has been rare in Kashmir in anti-militant operations.

The unfolding of this encounter is a breakthrough from earlier methods of how the state would kill armed militants. First they would track the militants, then corner them at a house, cordon the area and launch the operation. The internet would also be shut down, and restrictions would be imposed.

But it was a departure from the past as no internet was suspended and no restrictions were imposed.

“It is a major success for the Jammu and Kashmir Police,” Kumar said.

Mohd Abbas alias Abdul Rehman Molvi Turabi was the son of Ghulam Sheikh, a resident of Rampora in Kulgam district. He was a Cat A++ militant. Saqib was a recent recruit, a resident of old Barzulla in Srinagar. He had joined on August 4 last year.

Junaid Nabi Bazaz