Kulgam, Apr 04 (KNO): Four militants of Hizb-ul-Mujahideen were killed in a gunfight that raged between forces and militants in Hardmanguri, Khur-Batpora in Damhal Hanjipora belt of South Kashmir’s Kulgam district. The gunfight broke in Kulgam district after a gap of 10 months.
Officials said that the gunfight ensued after a joint team of army’s 34 RR, CRPF 18 Bn and SOG J&K police laid a cordon around Hardmanguri village in the wee hours amid “specific information” about the presence of a group of militants there.
A senior police official said “The search party when approached towards the suspected spot, the hiding militants fired towards forces, which was retaliated, thus triggering an encounter,” officials said, adding that initially the militants were asked to lay down arms and an announcement in this regard was made through public address system. However, the officer said, the militants turned down the offer and started firing from the house where they were hiding.
“The joint teams retaliated, triggering off an encounter in which four militants were killed and Army personnel received minor injury and was later hospitalized,” the officer told wire service—Kashmir News Observer (KNO).
However, General Officer Commanding (GOC) Victor Force, A Sen Gupta while addressing a presser here at Awantipora, confirmed the killing of four militants and claimed that the slain militants were responsible for recent killings in the southern Kashmir district.
“A group of Hizb militants was killing civilians over the last 12 days. Police were able to track them down today. Bodies of all four militants have been recovered,” Sen Gupta said.
“During ongoing Corona Preventive efforts, the killing of innocent civilians by mindless militants was highly barbaric and condemnable,” the GOC added, as per KNO.
A senior police official identified the slain 4 Hizb militants as Aijaz Ahmed Naiko alias Moosa son of Muhammad Iqbal Naiko from Chimmer DHpora he went missing on 22 August 2018, Shahid Ahmed Malik son of Mohammad Sadiq from Khull DHpora Kulgam he was missing on 08 April 2019, Waqar Farooq son of Farooq Itoo from Chawalgam Kulgam he went missing on 18 March this year and M Ashraf Malik alias Sadam from Arwani Anantnag according to police records went missing on 25 November 2019 all belongs to militant outfit Hizbul Mujahideen (HM).
Notably, this is first encounter in South Kashmir's Kulgam district after a gap of around 11 months. Last encounter took place on 22th of May 2019 in Gopalpora area of Damhal Hanjipora in which two Hizb militants were killed identified as Irfan Manzoor and Zahid Ahmad Mantoo.
Pertinently, four civilians were killed by gunmen in Kulgam district including two from Damhal Hanjipora Belt in last 15 days—(KNO)
(File Photo Use)