Militant linked to Bukhari killing among 6 shot dead
Police say Azad Ahmad Malik’s name figured in the FIR on the journalist’s murder
SRINAGAR : Security forces shot dead six militants, including one believed to have links to journalist Shujaat Bukhari’s murder, in south Kashmir’s Anantnag district on Friday, a police spokesperson said.
Early in the day, security personnel surrounded an apple orchard at Sekipora village in Bijbehara area where a joint group of militants affiliated to the (homegrown outfit) Hizbul Mujahideen and (Pakistanbased) Lashkar-e-taiba were hiding, the official said.
Among those killed in the ensuing gunfight was Azad Ahmad Malik, alias Azad Dada, who was the Lashkar district commander and an influential militant leader in south Kashmir. His name figured in the assassination plot of Rising Kashmir editor, Bukhari, who was gunned down outside his office by three men on a motorcycle in Srinagar in June.
Friday’s operation, carried out by a joint team of police and the army, was launched on credible information and swiftly conducted, said Swayam Prakash Pani, the inspector general of police.
This was the second encounter in south Kashmir in the past three days. Securitymen killed four militants in Shopian on Wednesday. After the Bijbehara encounter, clashes were reported in parts of south Kashmir, considered the hotbed of militancy.
Those killed were identified as Malik, Unais Shafi, Basit Ishtiyaq, Atif Najar, Firdous Ahmad and Shahid Bashir. All of them were residents of south Kashmir.
Malik, whose name was mentioned in a first information report (FIR) on Bukhari’s killing, had managed to escape an encounter site in Kulgam district in April 2018, said the police spokesperson quoted above.
Shafi and Ishtiyaq were involved in several grenade-lobbing and firing incidents, he said, adding that Ahmad was the Let’s Pulwama district commander.
Many fresh militant recruits in the troubled state are believed to be from south Kashmir. Stone-throwing mobs in the region often target securitymen during gunfights with militants, triggering retaliation by the forces. On the other hand, villagers suspected to be police and army informers face the wrath of militants.