Two ultras who snatched rifles killed in gunfight

THOSE KILLED ARE BILAL AHMAD SHAH OF SHATMUQAM AND ZAHOOR AHMAD OF THAYEEN VILLAGE OF KUPWARA DISTRICT

SRINAGAR : Two Hizbul Mujahideen militants, who were allegedly involved in a rifle snatching incident in Lolab, were killed in a brief encounter in Kupwara on Thursday afternoon.

Both the militants were identified as Bilal Ahmad Shah of Shatmuqam and Zahoor Ahmad of Thayeen village, locals from Kupwara who had joined militant ranks only this year.“the militant were involved in several attacks on the security establishments and civilian atrocities in the area. An AK-47 rifle and an INSAS rifle was recovered from the slain militants which was snatched from a policeman in Kandhar on Wednesday,’’ the spokesman said.

Police said the militants were killed at Khumriyal, around 12 kilometre from the Kandhar village where militants had snatched rifle from a policeman on Wednesday. Policeman was on the Road Opening Party (ROP) duty when two to three militants wearing veils snatched rifle from him and escaped from the spot. Officials said the police have been tracking movement of the militants involved in rifle snatching as it was the first rifle snatching incident in Kupwara district in recent years.

Locals said that militants who were travelling in a car were intercepted by joint team of police and the army, two kilometres ahead of Kupwara town and were killed after a brief encounter.

Police spokesman said the forces in the afternoon had established a checkpost in the area and while checking was going on, militants fired on the police party which was retaliated by the forces personnel. “In a brief encounter, two militants were killed. Both the militants were affiliated with Hizbul Mujahedeen.’’

In March, picture of Bilal Ahmad Shah, who had been missing, appeared on social media holding rifle. His father was a Hizbul Mujahideen militant who was killed in an encounter during the initial years of the militancy in 1991.

Shah was working in Srinagar fruit mandi before he joined the militant rank. Zahoor was a former militant and had recycled two months ago.