Counter-Insurgency Ops: Three LeT Militants Gunned Down in Jammu and Kashmir

Jammu and Kashmir: In yet another successful counter-insurgency operation in Jammu and Kashmir, three militants of Lashkar-e-Toiba (LeT) were killed in an encounter in Sumlar forests in Bandipora District that was going on since September 20 taking the number of militants killed in the operation to five.

Reportedly, two militants were killed during an operation at Shukbabun area of Sumular village in Bandipora District on September 20. The gunfight raged in Sumlar forests and ended with the killings of five militants.

“The bodies of all five militants killed in the gunfight have been retrieved,” Police said, adding that search operation is still on at the site of the gunfight. The identity of the slain militants is yet to be established.A Police spokesman said that the militants were affiliated with LeT.

“Apparently they were part of freshly infiltrated group. Huge quantity of arms, ammunition and incriminating material was recovered from the site of encounter,” he said. Police has registered a case and investigation is going on.

Meanwhile, based on initial probe, Police on September 21 said that the abduction and killings of three Special Police Officers (SPOs) were executed by Hizb-ul-Mujahideen (HM)and Lashkar-e-Toiba (LeT), adds Daily Excelsior. Earlier SATP reported that Terrorists killed three Policemen after abducting them from Shopian District. Those abducted were identified as Firdous Ahmad Kuchey and Kuldeep Singh – both residents of Batgund Shopian, and Nisar Ahmad Dhobi and Fayaz Ahmad Bhat, residents of Kapran. Fayaz Ahmad is the brother of a Policeman, who was let off. Police recovered bodies of the three Policemen from nearby Wangam village and they were shot multiple times. Bashir Ahmad Dhobi, brother of one of the killed cops, Nisar Ahmad Dhobi said, “I was preparing for morning prayers when militants came and took my brother along. They said that they have to make a video and will let him off. But after half an hour we heard firing. We rushed to the area and recovered three dead bodies after around an hour”.

Inspector General of Police (IGP), S P Panion said that the three Policemen were found dead near an orchard in Wangam village, few kilometres from the spot of their abduction. “It is a cowardly act by terrorists. Three of our colleagues were martyred. We are investigating the incident. We will take appreciate action against those responsible for it”, he said.

Security Forces (SFs) immediately reached the spot and a massive operation was launched in the area against the militants responsible for the killing of the Policemen.

Also, the Director General of Police (DGP), Dilbag Singh on September 21 described the videos of the SPOs, that appeared in social media and in which they were saying that they have resigned from services, as propaganda on part of militants, reports Daily Excelsior. “It is a propaganda move by the enemies. They have been trying these types of tactics in past also. Our SPOs are the lowest rank of a police force and they have their families to take care of”, he said.

“It is a 30,000 strong force of SPOs spread over length and breadth of the State. Most of them are doing wonderful job and they are helpful to people. They have been doing their job in the interest of people and appreciated by all. We too stand by the families of the martyred SPOs in this hour of grief”, he added.

The DGP described the SPOs as wonderful force who are doing great job. “It is more of a rumour mongering kind of thing that is going on. if there is anything like it that will be looked into. It is a wonderful force and we have been seriously concerned about the welfare of them in past and even now there is big scheme for the welfare of the SPOs which is under consideration of the Government”, he said. (SATP Inputs)