2 militants, jawan killed in encounter
Securitymen arrest militant, kin say he is innocent
nSRINAGAR: Two militants and a CRPF jawan were killed in a brief encounter in Lawaypora, about 12 kms from Srinagar, on Wednesday morning, a police official said. One militant was also arrested by the Central Reserve Police Force, the official added.
Special DG CRPF, Zulfikar Hassan said, “Around 11 am on Srinagar - Baramulla highway near Lawaypora, three people came on a scooter. When they got near the [special] naka they were stopped as they were not wearing helmets. As a CRPF constable started checking them, one of the pillion riders got off and started firing. In the firing, one of the CRPF jawans who was on naka was hit on the head. Despite his injury, the jawan fired back. Soon, the second person on the scooter also started firing. “
Hassan said the whole party, comprising CRPF and JKP personnel, retaliated resulting in the death of two militants on the spot. “The third militant was also shot and injured. He was caught and then arrested and shifted to hospital…,” Hassan added.
Police said the militants were affiliated with three militant outwith fits -- Lashkar-e-taiba, Hizbul Mujahideen and Jammu and Kashmir Islamic State (JKIS).
Inspector General (Kashmir), Vijay Kumar identified the militants as Zia-u-rehman Wani from Budgam affiliated with Lashkar and Khateeb Ahmad from Bijbhera was affiliated with Hizbul and the third, militant as Ayaz Umar was associated with JKIS.” However, the relatives of Ayaz Umar, who was injured said that he is a shopkeeper who owned a shop near the spot and had nothing to do the shootout. “He (Ayaz) is innocent and has nothing to do with the militancy,’’ said his cousin Asif Ahmad. Umar is in ICU at city’s SMHS hospital. Two pistols and grenades were recovered from possession of the slain militants, police added. Due to the shootout, traffic on the Srinagar – Baramulla national highway was stopped for some time. This is the second shootout on the national highway. On January 31, three terrorists travelling in a truck towards Srinagar were killed in a gunfight.