This is an archive article published on September 26, 2020
J&K: Two LeT militants killed in gunfight at Anantnag; 4 villagers injured in blast at site
The IGP identified the militants as Adil Bhat, a resident of Kakapora in Pulwama district and Abu Rehan, a Pakistani national. “If you remember, two of our men were martyred in Nowgam. Adil was the militant involved in that,” IGP Kumar said.
Srinagar | Updated: September 26, 2020 05:25 AM IST
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On Thursday, a junior commissioner officer was killed and a civilian injured in mortar shelling. (File)
Two militants were killed early on Friday following an overnight gunfight with security forces at Anantnag in south Kashmir. After security forces left the village, a blast at the encounter site left four villagers injured.
On Thursday evening, a joint team of J&K Police, paramilitary personnel and Army cordoned off Sirhama village after receiving inputs about the presence of militants. While the encounter lasted through the night, both the militants were killed Friday morning.
“They (militants) tried to escape during the night,” IGP Vijay Kumar said. “In the morning, we traced them to a house and killed them. We used some explosives too.”
The IGP identified the militants as Adil Bhat, a resident of Kakapora in Pulwama district and Abu Rehan, a Pakistani national. “If you remember, two of our men were martyred in Nowgam. Adil was the militant involved in that,” IGP Kumar said. “Abu Rehan was active in Kashmir since March 2019 and was involved in many killings,” he added.
Police said the militants were given an opportunity to surrender. “During the search operation, as the presence of terrorist got ascertained they were given opportunity to surrender however instead they fired indiscriminately upon the joint search party, which was retaliated leading to an encounter,” police said in a statement. “Due to darkness the operation was suspended and the whole area was put under strict cordon. Terrorists trapped inside made certain attempts to break the cordon and escape from the spot,” the statement said. “In the wee hours, the operation was resumed and in the ensuing encounter two terrorists were killed and their bodies were retrieved from the site of encounter. The killed terrorists have been identified as Adil Ahmad Bhat resident of Pulwama and Abu Rehan @Towheed a Pakistani national. Both the killed terrorists were commanders and affiliated with proscribed terror outfit LeT,” it added.
“Keeping in view the prevailing pandemic due to COVID-19 and to ensure the safety of people from inherent risk of contracting the infection, the dead bodies of the killed terrorists shall be sent to Handwara for burial after completion of all medico-legal formalities,” police said in the statement. “The nearest family members of the killed local terrorist shall be allowed to participate in the last rites.”
After the gunfight was over and the forces left the village, villagers rushed to the encounter site. A sudden explosion left four civilians injured. They were rushed to the hospital.
Bashaarat Masood is a Special Correspondent with The Indian Express. He has been covering Jammu and Kashmir, especially the conflict-ridden Kashmir valley, for two decades. Bashaarat joined The Indian Express after completing his Masters in Mass Communication and Journalism from the University in Kashmir. He has been writing on politics, conflict and development. Bashaarat was awarded with the Ramnath Goenka Excellence in Journalism Awards in 2012 for his stories on the Pathribal fake encounter.
Expertise and Experience
Two Decades of Frontline Reporting: Bashaarat has spent 20 years documenting the evolution of Kashmir, from high-intensity conflict and political shifts to socio-economic development.
Award-Winning Investigative Journalism: He is a recipient of the prestigious Ramnath Goenka Excellence in Journalism Award (2012). This honor was bestowed for his reporting on the Pathribal fake encounter, a series of stories that highlighted his ability to handle sensitive human rights and security issues with investigative rigor.
Specialized Beats: His authoritative coverage spans:
Political Transitions: Tracking the shift from statehood to Union Territory, electoral dynamics, and the pulse of local governance.
Security & Conflict: Providing nuanced reporting on counter-insurgency, civil liberties, and the impact of the conflict on the civilian population.
Development: Documenting the infrastructure, healthcare, and educational landscape within the Valley.
Academic Background: He holds a Masters in Mass Communication and Journalism from the University of Kashmir, providing him with a localized academic and professional foundation that is rare in regional reporting. ... Read More
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