Juvenile among three militants killed in Valley
Trio believed to be affiliated to the banned outfit LeT
Three militants, including a juvenile, were killed and an Army jawan was injured after a 18-hour gunfight between security forces and militants in the outskirts of Srinagar on Sunday. An Army spokesman said that the bodies of three militants were retrieved and weapons were recovered from the spot.
SRINAGAR: Three militants, including a juvenile, were killed and an Army jawan was injured after a 18-hour gunfight between security forces and militants in the outskirts of Srinagar on Sunday.
An Army spokesman said that the bodies of three militants were retrieved and weapons were recovered from the spot. “Operation over,” the army spokesman said just after noon.
Kashmir police in a statement identified the slain militants as Saqib Bilal Sheikh of Hajin Bandipora and Ali, a Pakistani, who was involved in militant recruitment in Hajin and Sumbal areas of Bandipora.
The identity of Ali, according to police, was ascertained from evidence collected at the encounter site.
The statement also said that the trio was affiliated with proscribed outfit Lashkar-eTaiba.
Locals claimed the minor was 14-15 years old and had disappeared along with the 17-yearold Saqib Bilal Sheikh on August 31.
He was also reportedly one of the youngest militants to be killed in the Valley.
However, the police said the minor’s age could not be confirmed.
“We do not know if he was 14 or 16, though he looked young. There is no way to confirm whether he was the youngest militant ever or not,” said a senior police official.
The minor’s gun-wielding picture surfaced on social media recently, after he had gone missing. Superintendent of police, Bandipora, Sheikh Zulfikar said he was below 18 while Sheikh was older than him.
“Incriminating materials including arms and ammunition were recovered from the site of the encounter. Police has registered a case and initiated investigation,” the state police said.
Fierce clashes broke out between civilians and security forces at Mujgund area, where the encounter took place.
“Security forces fired dozens of tear gas shells and pellets to disperse the protesters,” an eyewitness said.
On Saturday evening, secu- rity forces cordoned the locality after they received inputs that militants were hiding there.
A police officer said that during the search operation, the search party was fired upon by militants.
“The fire was retaliated leading to a gunfight. In the initial exchange of fire one army jawan sustained injuries and was shifted to hospital for medical treatment,” he said.
Three civilians also sustained injuries as the area was open and they were shifted to a hospital.
They are stated to be stable, according to the police.
The slain militants were wanted by the law for “their complicity in terror crimes”, he said. “Ali, according to police records, was involved in several terror crimes and cases were registered against him, including for attacks on security establishments and civilian atrocities. He was involved in the recruitment of ultras in the Hajin and Sumbal areas of Bandipora,” the police spokesperson said.
The authorities had suspended mobile internet services in the city as a precautionary measure Sunday morning.
The services were, however, restored in the evening after the operation was concluded, the official said.
THE MINOR’S GUNWIELDING PICTURE HAD SURFACED ON SOCIAL MEDIA RECENTLY, AFTER HE HAD GONE MISSING. HE WAS REPORTEDLY ONE OF THE YOUNGEST MILITANTS TO BE KILLED IN THE VALLEY