Anantnag: Three militants of Jaish-e-Muhammad outfit and a policeman were among four people killed in a “chance” encounter between militants and government forces Kreeri area of North Kashmir’s Baramulla district, police said.
The slain militants believed to be Pakistani nationals were identified as Haneef, Ali Bhai, and Shah Wali. “They had been active in this area for the last three to four months. We were monitoring their movement and were tracking them,” Kashmir Inspector General of Police (IGP) Kashmir, Vijay Kumar, said.
He said that the forces have so far killed 22 Pakistani militants in different parts of Kashmir.
The slain policeman has been identified as Sheikh Mudassir, a resident of Uri area in Baramulla district. The gunfight took place today in an orchard area of Najibhat crossing of the Kreeri area.
“We had general inputs regarding militant movement in the area and a naka was established in the Najibhat crossing area,” a senior police official from the area said.
He said that an approaching vehicle was motioned to stop but the driver fled, leaving behind the vehicle. “Militants hiding in the vehicle opened indiscriminate fire leaving a policeman injured. He succumbed to his injuries on the way to the hospital,” the police official said.
He said that the fire was retaliated and the militants were killed, “all three of them,” even as the searches continued in the area.
Bodies of the militants have been retrieved from the site of the gunfight, along with arms, ammunition and some incriminating material, the police official said.
“The bodies will be sent to be buried at an undisclosed location, later in the day,” the official said.
Sources told Kashmir Reader that these militants had been active in the area for quite a while and have managed to flee more than one gunfight in the recent past.
Further investigation has been taken up into the case, based on the material retrieved from the slain militants, the police official said.
“We have recently cracked the murder case of a Sarpanch and with today’s gunfught and the material retrieved therein, we are sure we will have some headway into some other cases as well,” the police official said.

Suhail A Shah