Srinagar, December 22 (KNO) : Six militants including Deputy Chief of Zakir Moosa led group, called Ansar Ghazwat-ul-Hind were killed in an encounter in Arampora village of Tral in South Kashmir’s Pulwama district.
Police said that based on a credible input about the presence of militants in Arampora area of Awantipora, a cordon and search operation was launched by security forces in the area today morning. “As the searches were going on, the search party was fired upon by the terrorists. The fire was retaliated leading to a gunfight,” police spokesman said in a statement issued to KNO.
“In the ensuing encounter, six militants were neutralized and the bodies were retrieved from the site of encounter,” police said while identifying the slain militants as Soliha Mohammad Akhoon, son of Ghulam Mohammad Akhoon of Arampora Tral, Faisal of Amlar, Nadeem Ahmad Sofi, son of Muzzafar Ahmad Sofi of Batagund Tral, Rasiq Mir, son of Ghulam Qadir Mir of Mir Mohalla Dadsara Tral, Rouf and Umar both residents of Dadsara Tral.
Pertinently, no collateral damage took place during the encounter, police added. “All the six militants were wanted by the law for their complicity in a series of crimes including attack on security establishments and civilian atrocities. This group was part of Zakir Mousa faction and was active in district Pulwama,” police said.
“As per Police records, Rasiq had a long history of crime records since last five years. Several cases were registered against him including case FIR number 170/2016 under section 13, 18, 18E, 20 ULAP Act. Soliha as per police records also had a long history of crimes since 2015 and was involved in several attacks on security establishments and many other civilian atrocities in the area,” police spokesman said.
“Similarly, Nadeem and Umar were also involved in several crimes. Also Rouf and Faisal were involved in planning and executing many attacks in the area,” he added.
Police added that the bodies of all the six militants after completion of medico legal formalities were handed over to their legal heirs. “Arms and ammunition including rifles were recovered from the site of encounter. All these materials have been taken in the case records for further investigation and probe their complicity in other cases,” he said.
Police further appealed people not to venture inside the encounter zone since such an area can prove dangerous due to stray explosive materials. “People are requested to cooperate with police till the area is completely sanitized and cleared of all the explosives materials,” police said.
Meanwhile, protest also erupted in Tral following the killing of six local militants during which the participants raised slogans in favour of ‘Azadi’. Thousands of people participated in the funeral prayers of slain militants in Arampora area of Tral.
Meanwhile, the mobile internet services in South Kashmir’s Pulwama district has been suspended following the encounter in Tral village. Moreover, the train services from Baramulla to Banihal as also suspended for today in view of ‘security measure’.(KNO)