Srinagar, June 04: Hizbul Mujahideen Commander was killed while as four including three soldiers were injured in an encounter that broke out between militants and security forces at Rishipora village of Kapran Verinag area in south Kashmir’s Anantnag district, Police said on Saturday.
An official said that a joint team of police, Army and CRPF after receiving the information about the presence of militants launched search operation in the area.
He said that as the joint team of forces intensified searches towards suspected spot, the hiding militants fired upon the party, which was retaliated, thus triggering an encounter.
“During exchange of fire, one militant identified as Nisar Khanday affiliated with HM was killed bedsides that three soldiers and one civilian was injured in initial exchange of fire who were shifted to 92 base hospital Srinagar where their condition is stable,” the official said.
Police in a statement said that on Friday, on a specific input regarding the presence of militants in Rishipora area of Anantnag, Police, Army (19RR) and CRPF launched a joint cordon a search operation in the area. “As the joint team was establishing the cordon around the suspected area, the hiding militant started indiscriminate firing upon the search party which was retaliated effectively leading to an encounter,” the statement said.
“In the initial exchange of fire, three army personnel and a civilian got injured. All the injured were immediately airlifted to 92 Base Hospital Srinagar for treatment and are stated to be stable,” the statement said. “In the ensuing encounter, the hiding militant was killed and his body was retrieved from the site of encounter. He has been identified as Nisar Khanday (Commander of HM outfit) and active since year 2018.”
The statement said that as per police records, the killed militant was a categorized militant and was part of the groups involved in several cases including attacks on Police/SF and civilian atrocities.
“The slain militant was earlier arrested in year 2000 along with arms/ammunition and detained under PSA. Before joining ranks in year 2018, the killed militant was working as the militant associate of Hizb. He has been involved in several killings of civilians and security forces besides mastermind in fresh recruitment of youth in militant ranks,” he said. “”IGP Kashmir Kumar congratulated the joint teams for carrying out the operation in professional manner and neutralising the wanted militant commander. He also appreciated the valour and dedication of injured personnel and prayed for their speedy recovery.”
Police said that incriminating materials, arms and ammunition including 01 AK-47 rifle was recovered from the site of encounter. “All the recovered materials have been taken into case records for further investigation,” it said.
ARMY STATMENT: Defence spokesman in Srinagar, Colonel Emron Musavi said that on the basis of specific information regarding presence of militants in village Reshipora, Anantnag district, a joint cordon and search operation was launched by army and police at about 3:45PM.
“At around 6:45 PM, during the search, the militant indiscriminately fired at the Security Forces and tried to escape by targeting civilians to divert the attention of the Security Forces. Due to the militants’ firing, a civilian namely Mukhtar Ahmed Malik was grievously injured. Sensing grave threat to the life of the injured civilian, two of our brave soldiers, Lance Naik Achal Patwari and Sepoy Amandeep Singh commenced his extraction from the operation site, despite being heavily fired upon by the militant,” the statement said, adding that “With complete disregard to their own safety, they were successful in evacuating the civilian to a safe location, however, due to incessant fire from the terrorist, both the army soldiers received gun-shot wounds.”.
He said that all three injured individuals were immediately airlifted to 92 Base Hospital by Army Helicopter. “Timely evacuation and medical intervention led to the saving of all three precious lives,” the statement said. “At about 01:00 AM, the militant again fired at the Security Forces and attempted to escape through a nala nearby. The alert troops effectively engaged the escaping militant and neutralised him. One AK rifle along with other warlike stores were recovered from the slain militant.”
The army statement said that as per the JKP, the neutralised militant has been identified as the Hizbul Mujahideen district Commander of Anantnag, Nisar Ahmed Khandey, a resident of Village Bunapura, Dudhwagan, Anantnag district. He was a Category ‘A’ militant and was involved in militant activities since August 2018.