Says ‘Forces and citizens need to get together to control it’
Srinagar 9 April: Chinar Corps Commander, Lt General Devendra Pratap Pandey said that the cycle of violence is south and parts of central kashmir is still going on and there is a need to control it and for that forces and citizens need to connect better.
Addressing Media in Srinagar, Chinar Corps Commander, Lt Gen DP Panday said that they have taken two steps to put an end to militancy, one to stop recruitment by Over Ground Workers (OGW) and second, to reduce recruitment by OGW’s through social media, online mediums.
DP Panday said, “I’m back to Kashmir after 20 months and I felt a new energy within the Government, Civil Admin, Security forces and Media.”
“All of them together are making Jammu and Kashmir better,” he added.
Lt Gen DP Panday requested people to help them and stop the young children from being radicalized and joining militancy.
He said that during these days, several families have visited and asked him to stop their children from being recruited and even wanted them to be put behind bars.
Regarding the two encounters in Shopian and Tral, Chinar Corps Chief said that 7 Militants were killed. He further congratulated J&K Police, RR and CRPF personnels for concluding the operations successfully.
He said that GOC Victor Force, Major General Rashim Bali and Inspector General of Police (Kashmir) Vijay Kumar, both were present during the gun-battle in Shopian when the militants were hiding inside the mosque and ensured minimal damage to the Holy structure.
Moreover, during the conference, GOC Vector Force, Major General Rashim Bali, about the 2nd phase of the Shopian encounter which took place in a mosque, said that it was a complicated one.
We kept in mind the local sentiments and ensured minimal damage is taken by the mosque, he said.
He said that the Imam (Molvi) of the mosque was sent inside twice during the night hours to ask the hiding militants to surrender and also the brother of one of the militants was allowed to go inside to do the same.
He added that in the morning parents of the hiding militant were also sent inside to persuade him to surrender.
As per General Bali, forces only used automatic fire, small grenades as Chinar Corps Commander had ordered them to use minimal force, due to which several forces personnel took splinter injuries.
He said that the restoration of the mosque is taking place.
While addressing the reporters at the conference, IGP Kashmir, Vijay Kumar said that in the Shopian encounter 5 militants were killed, out of which Two belonged to Hizbul-Mujahideen outfit, one belonged to Lashkar-e-Toiba and two to Ansar Gazwat-ul-Hind (AGuH) outfit. He identified them as Muzamil Tantray, Basit Bhat, Adil Lone, Younis Ahmad Khanday but the fifth one was not identified.
He said that government forces launched the cordon and search operation on the basis of specific inputs by the Shopian Police.
Furthermore, IGP said that during the operation, all SOPs were followed and relatives, brother, Imam of the mosque were allowed to persuade the trapped militants inside the mosque to surrender but they did not.
He said, “We respect the mosque and only first fired tear gas shells inside, later firing was opened occasionally through the window.”
“We didn’t use any explosives and rockets. We didn’t let any fire erupt inside the place. Mosque is all in good condition and cleaning is going on there right now,” he added.
Regarding the gun-battle at Nowbug Tral, IGP said that two militants had fled from Shopian during the initial cordon and search operation, after throwing a grenade.
He said that afterwards the operation was launched on basis of specific inputs by Jammu and Kashmir Police and later these militants were hiding in an open hideout in Nowbug area.
IGP added that both were killed during the operation and identified one among them AGuH Chief Imtiyaz Shah. (KNB)
