Srinagar, May 31: Two Jaish-e-Mohammad (JeM) terrorists were killed in an overnight gunfight in Rajpora area of Awantipora, the police said.
Inspector-General of Police, (IGP) Kashmir zone, Vijay Kumar said the slain duo was involved in killing civilians, including a government employee.
“Killed terrorists identified as Shahid Rather of Tral and Umar Yousuf of Shopian. Besides other terror crimes, terrorist Shahid was involved in the killing of a woman Shakeela of Aripal, and a government employee/peon Javid Ahmed of Lurgam Tral,” he tweeted.
A police spokesman said police along with security forces neutralized 02 terrorists in an anti-terrorist operation in Awantipora. One of the killed terrorists was involved in the civilian killings in Awantipora area, he said.
Following inputs regarding the presence of terrorists in village Rajpora area of Awantipora, a joint cordon & search operation was launched by Awantipora Police, Army (42RR) and CRPF 130Bn/180Bn in the said area.
'During the search operation, as the joint search party approached towards the suspected spot, the hiding terrorists fired indiscriminately upon the joint search party leading to an encounter," he said.
The police identified slain as Shahid Ahmad Rather son of Ghulam Ahmad Rather resident of Larow Jageer, Tral who was linked with proscribed terror outfit JeM and Umar Yousuf son of Mohd Yousef resident of Tukro Keegam Shopian also linked with proscribed terror outfit LeT.
As per police records, both the killed terrorists were categorized terrorists and part of groups involved in several terror crime cases including attacks on Police/security forces and civilian killings.
The spokesman said besides other terror crimes, killed terrorist Shahid was involved in killing of a lady Mst Shakeela of Aripal and a government employee Javaid Ahmad of Lurgam Tral.
He was also involved in motivating/recruiting local youth to join terrorist ranks and on his motivation Mohammed Shafi Dar of Wagad Tral had joined terrorist ranks who was later on neutralized in an anti-terrorist operation in Kulgam on 29 December 2021.
"Incriminating materials, arms & ammunition including 02 AK-47 rifles have been recovered from the site of encounter. All the recovered materials have been taken into case records for further investigation," the spokesman said.
Meanwhile, the police have registered a case under relevant sections of law and an investigation has been initiated. People are requested to cooperate with Police till the area at the encounter site is completely sanitized and cleared of all the explosive materials if any, he said.