Another local Hizbul militant killed in Bijbehara; LeT commander Mukhtiyar Bhat, involved in killing of 1 ASI of CRPF & 2 RPF men, killed in Awantipora: ADGP

Anantnag: Additional Director General of Police Kashmir Vijay Kumar on Tuesday said that three LeT militants including a foreigner were killed in Awantipora area of south Kashmir’s Pulwama district.
In a tweet quoting the ADGP, Kashmir Zone Police wrote: “LeT cmdr Mukhtar Bhat among the 3 killed militants. As per source, he along with FT was going for fidayeen attack on SFs camp. 01 AK-74 rifle, 01 AK-56 rifle & 1 pistol recovered. Awantipora Police & Army averted a major militant incident.”
Mukhtiyar Bhat was involved in several militant crimes including killing of 1 ASI of CRPF & 2 RPF personnel, police said, adding, “A big success for us”.
The militants were killed in the second gunfight that took place in south Kashmir on Tuesday. The first began in Semthan area of Bijbehara in Anantnag district. Police along with Army (3rd RR) launched a cordon and search operation here in the afternoon. Police said that the hiding militant fired indiscriminately upon the search party, which was retaliated and in the ensuing gunfight, one local militant identified as Shakir Ahmad, son of Habibullah. resident of Ladermud, was killed.
“As per Police records, the killed terrorist was linked with proscribed terror outfit HM and was involved in several terror crime cases including attacks on Police/SFs and civilian atrocities,” a police statement said.
“We had inputs regarding the presence of militants in the area, following which a cordon and search operation was launched in the area,” a senior police official from Anantnag district said. “The operation started late Tuesday afternoon.”
He said that the militants, holed up, were asked to lay down their arms but they opened indiscriminate fire, which was retaliated.
Local sources told Kashmir Reader that the traffic on the old National Highway was diverted given the proximity of the gunfight site to the road. “Mobile internet has been suspended in the area as well. We can hear intermittent firing from the site,” the sources said, adding that the forces installed lights in the area as the gunfight proceeded.
Later in the day, the police were informed about another gunfight in Khandipora village of police district Awantipora, less than 20 kilometres from the Bijbehara gunfight site.
A senior police official from the district said that an operation was launched late Tuesday evening, following specific inputs regarding the presence of militants.
“Contact was established with the hiding militants and they were asked to lay down their arms,” the official said, “The militants however opened fire, which was retaliated, triggering a gunfight.”
Local sources from the area told Kashmir Reader that lights were installed in the area, and reinforcements were seen rushing towards the site of the gunfight.

Suhail A Shah