Srinagar: A Lashkar-e-Toiba commander was killed in an encounter with a joint team of police and army in Sirhama Anantnag while militants managed to flee in Kulgam district, officials said on Saturday.
“Acting on specific information regarding presence of (militant) in Sirhama, a joint cordon and search operation was launched by Police and army’s 3rd RR in the area,” police said in a statement to GNS. “As the search party proceeded towards the suspected spot, hiding (militant) fired indiscriminately upon the search party which was retaliated, leading to an encounter.”
In the ensuing encounter, he said, the hiding militant was killed and has been identified as LeT commander Nisar Ahmad Dar alias Musaib son of Ghulam Hassan Dar of Redwani Bala, Kulgam.
“As per police records, (he) was a categorized (militant) and active since April 2021,” the police said, adding, “He was involved in several killing of civilians and outside labourers besides, he was also involved in grenade lobbing attacks on security forces.” For his activities, police said, many case FIRs including 39/2021, 02/2022, 11/2022 were registered against him at Police Station Qaimoh. “He was also instrumental in motivating gullible youth to join (militant) folds thereby attempting to revive the (militancy)”.
Meanwhile IGP Kashmir appreciated the joint team and termed the killing of Dar as a big success.
“Incriminating materials, arms and ammunition has been recovered from the site of encounter,” police said.
Meanwhile militants managed to escape after a brief gunfight with joint team of police and army at ChakiSamad village of Damhal Hanjipora in south Kashmir’s Kulgam district, officials said.
The encounter broke out at around 4 a.m after a joint team of Police and Army launched a cordon and search operation (CASO) on specific information about the presence of militants in the area, they said.
A police official said that as the joint team approached towards the suspected spot, the hiding militants fired upon them, which was retaliated, triggering off the gunfight.
A senior police officer told GNS that there was a lull following which massive searches were launched. He said there was no second contact established with militants nor was anyone arrested, suggesting that the militant fled from the spot taking advantage of the darkness. He said that searches in the area were called off around afternoon. (GNS)
