Doda district militancy-free now: DGP
Srinagar, June 29: Three militants, including a top commander of Hizb-ul-Mujahideen, were killed in a gunfight in south Kashmir’s Anantnag district on Monday.
“On a specific input regarding presence of militants in village Khulchohar area of Anantnag, a joint cordon and search operation was launched by JK Police, 19RR and CRPF in the area,” a police spokesperson said.
During the search operation, the hiding militants fired on the joint search party. The fire was retaliated leading to an encounter, he said.
“In the ensuing encounter, three militants were killed and their bodies were retrieved from the site of encounter,” he said, adding,” “The identification and affiliation of the killed militants is being ascertained.”
An official said one of the (slain) is Masood Ahmad Bhat resident of Doda (District Commander of HM outfit) and other two unidentified are from LeT outfit.”
The bodies were sent to Handwara for their last rites after conducting medico-legal formalities including collection of their DNA, he added.
IGP Kashmir Vijay Kumar, the spokesperson said, appreciated the joint team for exercising utmost restraint, “thereby ensured a clean operation with no collateral damage.”
Earlier, Director General of Police Dilbag Singh confirmed that Masood “who had shifted his area of operation to Kashmir” was among the slain.
“Doda district in Jammu zone has become totally militancy free once again as Masood was last surviving (militant) of the district,” he said.
The other two slain were identified by sources as Tariq Khan of Lal Chowk Anantnag and Nadeem from Kulgam. However, police did not confirm their identity so far.
