IGP appeals militants to shun violence, return home
By: Sameer Lone
Srinagar : Top most and longest surviving militant commander of Lashkar-e-Toiba Yousuf Kantroo was among the three militants killed in an encounter in Malwah village of north Kashmir’s Baramulla district on Thursday. During the gunfight, which is still underway, four soldiers including an officer and a cop were also injured, police said.
Police termed it a major success especially the killing of Yousuf Kantroo, who was listed among the top 10 most wanted militants. The identity of another slain militant was not ascertained yet.
Acting on a specific information generated by Budgam police, a special team of Budgam Police along with Army (62RR) launched a joint cordon & search operation in Malwah area of Baramulla, police said.
“During the search operation as the joint search party reached the suspected spot, the hiding terrorists fired indiscriminately upon them in which four (04) soldiers including one officer received minor injuries. The fire was effectively retaliated, leading to an encounter.”
It added that later on Baramulla Police headed by SSP Baramulla also joined the operation and one policeman from Baramulla district also got injured in the encounter who was later on shifted to Army’s base hospital in Srinagar.
It said that in the ensuing encounter, so far three militants of proscribed outfit LeT including Yousuf Kantroo, one of longest surviving militant, were killed and their bodies were retrieved from the encounter site.
“Yousuf Kantroo earlier joined as an OGW of HM outfit and was arrested in the year 2005. Later on, he was released in the year 2008 but he again joined terrorist ranks in the year 2017 and started killing innocent civilians, policemen and political workers. Later on he switched from HM to LeT,” police added.
According to police, Yousuf Kantroo was involved in dozens of civilian & SFs personnel killings including killing of SPO Mohammad Ishfaq Dar and his brother Umer Ahmad Dar resident of Chatabugh Budgam on 26/03/2022, killing of BDC Chairman Late Sardar Bhupinder Singh on 23/9/20 in his own native place in Khag, killing of NC Block president at Natipora Chanapora Srinagar, killing of Tajamul Mohidin Dar resident of Guttapora Budgam on 21/03/2022, killing of Gulzar Ahmad of Lawaypora at Narbal, killing of Tanveer Zargar of Chewa at Narbal, killing of Nazir Ahmad Dar (an employee of Health department) resident of Warihama at Warihama, killing of Sarpanch Manzoor Ahmad of Pattan.
It said that besides, he was also involved in grenade throwing incidents, abduction and killing of police and SF personnel including killing of CRPF personnel HC Riyaz Ahmad Rather resident of Nawgam Anantnag at Kanihama by lobbying Grenade on deployment on 23/12/2017, abduction and killing of constable Mohd Ashraf Rather @Ishfaq resident of Archanderhama Magam, abduction and killing of Army Personnel Mohd Sameer Malla resident of Lokipora Khag on 07/03/2022, killing of SPO Mohd Altaf during an encounter at Peth-Zanigam, killing of one Ex-SPO Naseer Ahmad Khan resident of Buchipora Kawoosa Khalisa.
Moreover, he was also involved in snatching 4 AK rifles from the residence of Legislature Muzafar Parray at J-13 Jawahar Nagar Rajbagh.
Furthermore, on his directions Abrar Nadeem (slain militant) carried out an attack on CRPF at Lawaypora Srinagar in which 3 CRPF personnel attained martyrdom on 25/03/2021.”
It further said that in addition to this, the killed militant was also involved in recruiting innocent youth into militant ranks including recruitment of Faisal Hafeez Dar of Aaripanth Magam.
Meanwhile, after a viral video on Social Media, in which the mother of a trapped militant while mourning is heard saying, “come back my son, you are too young and innocent”, the IGP Kashmir appealed to parents of other militants to appeal to their wards to shun the path of violence.