‘Investigation in Rajouri youth killing in Shopian encounter in final stage’
Srinagar, Sep 28: Describing the Pulwama encounter a very big success for security forces, Director General of Police (DGP) Dilbagh Singh on Monday said longest surviving commander of Lasher-e-Toiba (LeT) and his aide were killed.
Aijaz Ahmad Reshi, who was involved in many militancy related incidents, including Improvised Explosive Device (IED) blast in which eight Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) personnel were killed at Pampore, had joined militancy long before Burhan Wani of Hizbul Mujahideen(HM), DGP told reporters at Pulwama after the Cordon and Search Operation (CASO) launched Sunday evening at Samboora, Pampore, in Pulwama ended today.
J&K Police Chief said the CASO was launched last evening following a tip off about the presence of militants. During the operation an encounter took place, he said operation was suspended due to darkness late Sunday night.
However, when the operation resumed this morning two bodies of militants were recovered.
Later one of the slain militant was identified as Reshi who was longest surviving militant commander of LeT.
Reshi was killed along with his aide Sajjad Ahmad Sofi, who was recruited by him. However, after the killing of Reshi there will be now be a dip in the recruitment of local youths in militancy. During the past fortnight 15 youths shunned the path of violence and joined mainstream, he said adding this year a total of 24 who had joined militant ranks have returned with the active cooperation of security agencies and family members of these youths.
DGP Singh said Reshi worked as Over Ground Worker (OGW) in 2015 and joined militancy before Burhan Wani.
The police chief said the recovery made today included two AK-47 riffles, two magazines, some rounds of ammunition, and incriminating material from the slain militants.
‘Investigation in Rajouri youth killing in Shopian encounter in final stage’
Meanwhile, the DGP said that the investigation into the killing of three youths from Rajouri in an encounter by security forces in south Kashmir district of Shopian is in the final stage.
The comment by the DGP comes days after the DNA samples of three persons, who were killed in an alleged fake encounter by the Army in Shopian, have matched with their families from Rajouri.
“Our investigation is in the final stage. The SSP Shopian is himself monitoring the investigation process of the case and very soon further details about the case will be shared,” Singh said.
The Army had on July 18 claimed that three militants were killed in an encounter in village Amshipura in Shopian. But, Army initiated an inquiry into the encounter after it was claimed that the slain were from Rajouri and had gone missing. The families of the deceased had claimed that the trio was working as labourers and had gone missing in Amshipura.
After completing inquiry into the encounter, the Army said that the investigation has brought out certain prima facie evidence indicating that during the operation, powers vested under the AFSPA 1990 were exceeded and the Do’s and Don’ts of Chief of Army Staff (COAS) as approved by the Supreme Court have been contravened.
In a statement issued earlier this month, the Army said the competent disciplinary authority has directed to initiate disciplinary proceedings under the Army Act against those found prima-facie answerable. “The evidence collected by the inquiry has prima-facie indicated that the three unidentified terrorists killed in operation Amshipora were Imtiyaz Ahmed, Abrar Ahmed and Mohammad Ibrar, who hailed from Rajouri. Their DNA report is awaited. Their involvement with terrorism or related activities is under investigation by the police,” it said.
“Indian Army is committed to ethical conduct of operations. Further updates on the case will be given periodically without affecting due process of the law of the land,” it added.
