Srinagar, July 16: Two operatives affiliated with Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) were killed in a pre-dawn gunfight with security forces on Friday in Alamdar Colony of Srinagar district, police said.
In a statement issued to media, police, “The slain terrorists were identified as Irfan Ahmad Sofi son of Nazir Ahmad Sofi and Bilal Ahmad Bhat son of Manzoor Ahmad Bhat of Natipora Srinagar and had joined terror groups in December last year .”
Acting on specific information generated by Srinagar Police about presence of terrorists in Alamdar Colony Danmar area of Srinagar, a joint cordon and search operation was launched by Police and CRPF in the said area.
“During the search operation as the presence of terrorists got ascertained they were given repeated opportunities to surrender, however, they fired indiscriminately upon the joint search party which was retaliated leading to an encounter in the wee hours.
“In the ensuing encounter, two terrorists of proscribed terror outfit LeT (self claimed TRF) were killed and their bodies were retrieved from the site of encounter. They have been identified as Irfan Ahmad Sofi son of Nazir Ahmad Sofi and Bilal Ahmad Bhat son of Manzoor Ahmad Bhat, both residents of Natipora, Srinagar and active since Dec-2020,” the police said.
The police statement further mentioned, “Recently self claimed terrorist outfit TRF shared on social media that terrorists Irfan & Bilal had left TRF and joined ISJK.”
“As per police records, both the killed terrorists were part of groups involved in several terror crimes cases including attacks on Police/SFs and civilian atrocities. Both the killed terrorists executed a series of attacks on policemen, SFs and civilians which include killing of PSO of PDP leader at Natipora on 14/12/2020, attack on ROP of CRPF 73BN in Lawaypora resulting in martyrdom of 02 CRPF Jawans on 25/03/2021, Moreover, on 17/06/2021 they attacked & martyred an on-leave police official Ct Javid Ahmad near his residence at Saidpora and on 22/06/2021 attacked & martyred Inspector Parvez Ahmad at Menganwari Nowgam while he was on his way to offer prayers in local Masjid. They were also involved in the killing of a civilian Umer Nazir Bhat at his shop in Main Chowk Habba Kadal on 23/06/2021.”
Police said that the duo was also involved in a series of grenade attacks as well as petrol bomb attacks on Police/SF in City Srinagar. On 07/05/2021, they carried out a grenade attack on a joint party of Police/CRPF at Nawabazar area of Srinagar in which 05 CRPF jawans & a civilian got injured. On 26/06/2021, they carried out another grenade attack on a joint party of Police/CRPF at Barbarshah in which 01 civilian got killed and 03 civilians got critically injured. They also carried out a grenade attack on PP Urdu Bazar on 05/03/2021 and a petrol bomb attack on a bunker of SSB at Mehjoor Nagar Band on 26/04/2021.
“Both the killed terrorists have been instrumental in motivating and recruiting the youth to join terror folds in Srinagar and its adjoining areas,” the statement said.
The police officials said that Incriminating materials, arms and ammunition including 01 AK-47 rifle, 01 pistol and 04 grenades were recovered from the site of the encounter. “All the recovered materials have been taken into case records for further investigation and to probe their complicity in other terror crimes,” said the statement.
IGP Kashmir congratulates the joint forces of Police and CRPF for the big success that led to the elimination of two most wanted terrorists who were wanted by the law for their involvement in several terror crime cases. IGP Kashmir also said that during the year 2021, so far 78 terrorists have been neutralized in Kashmir valley and most of the terrorists were affiliated with proscribed terror outfit LeT i.e, 39 out of 78, followed by HM, Al-Badr, JeM & AuGH.