Srinagar: The Jammu and Kashmir Police on Friday said that the militant slain in a brief shootout with government forces was involved in a series of attacks on police and paramilitary forces in capital city Srinagar.

In a statement, a police spokesperson said that acting on credible input, a cordon and search operation was launched today morning at Ram Nagri area of Herpora in Shopian.

“During the search operation, the hiding militants fired on the search party. The fire was retaliated leading to a brief exchange of fire. 

“In the brief exchange of fire, one militant was killed and he has been identified as Ishfaq Ahmad Sofi alias Umar son of Mushtaq Ahmad resident of Model Town-B, Sopore.”

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According to the Police records, the spokesperson said that Ishfaq had a long history of crime records and was initially affiliated with proscribed outfit HuM. “He along with his other associates were involved in series of crimes including grenade attacks on CRPF bunker at Safa Kadal, Soura and Police Station Khanyar. He was also part of groups which had carried out attacks on security establishments in the area.”

Ishfaq was subsequently arrested and after his release on bail, he again got recycled and joined the militant ranks last year in 2018.

Ishfaq, as per the police records, after getting recycled again got involved in planning and executing attacks. “He was also involved in attacks on security establishments and many other civilian atrocities in the area for which several crime cases were registered against him. As such he was wanted by law for his complicity in a series of crimes,” the spokesperson said.