JeM commander active since 2018 killed in Sopore gunfight | KNO

Kashmir News Observer (KNO)

Sopore, Apr 08 (KNO): A Jaish-e-Muhammad commander was killed in an ongoing encounter at Arampora village of Sopore in north Kashmir’s Baramulla district, police said. “JeM commander Sajad Nawab Dar got neutralized in ongoing encounter at Sopore. Further details to follow,” read a tweet by Kashmir Zone police.

The encounter started early this morning in which a house also got damaged. Joint teams of security forces had laid siege in Arampora after a specific lead about the presence of militants in the area. In its earlier, tweet, police had stated that two to four militants were believed to be trapped in a house. As per the locals of Arampora, the house in which the militants were hiding, was blown up amid intense exchange of firing from both sides. A local resident from Arampora said that the house where militants were hiding went up in flames early in the morning barely a few hours after the encounter started.

A police spokesman said that on a credible input, a cordon and search operation was launched jointly by police, Army & CRPF in Gulabad, Arampora area of Sopore. During the search operation, the hiding militant fired on the search party. “The fire was retaliated leading to an encounter,” he said. “In the ensuing encounter, one militant was killed and the body was retrieved from the site of encounter. The killed militant has been identified as Sajad Nawab Dar resident of Saidpora Sopore,” he said. Incriminating materials, arms and ammunitions including 01 AK-47 rifle, 01 AK-Magazine, 01 UBGL Thrower were recovered from his possession.

The police spokesman said that as per police records, he was affiliated with JeM and was wanted by law for his complicity in crimes including attacks on security establishments. “He was also involved in recruitment of youth for joining militancy in North Kashmir. According to the Police records, Sajad had a history of terror crime records since 2018. Several terror crime cases were registered against him including Case FIR No. 69/2019 pertaining to attack on CRPF Camp at Main Chowk Sopore, FIR No. 70/2019 pertaining to attack on PP Warpora Sopore,” the spokesman said. He said that people are requested to cooperate with police till the area is completely sanitized and cleared of all the explosive materials if any—(KNO)