Hizb commander, ex-cop among 3 militants gunned down in Shopian

Security forces gunned down three Hizbul Mujahideen militants, including a police deserter and a top-ranking commander, during an encounter in the Shopian district of Jammu and Kashmir on Monday (January 20), police said.

A cordon and search operation was launched following information about the presence of militants in the Wacchi area of Shopian, an official said. The militants were asked to surrender, but they opened fire towards the security forces personnel, he said. “In the ensuing encounter, three militants of Hizbul Mujahideen were killed,” he said.

One of the slain militants was identified as Adil Ahmad, a special police officer who had deserted the force in 2018. He had decamped with seven AK assault rifles and a pistol from the official residence of then Wacchi MLA Aijaz Ahmad Mir, the official said.

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The other two militants were identified as Waseem Wani and Jahangir, he said. Terming the killing of the three militants a major success, Director General of Police (DGP) Dilbag Singh said Hizbul Mujahideen is on the “verge of elimination” in south Kashmir.

The police force has made a successful start to 2020, he told reporters. The operations have been successful due to increased movement of security forces following leads provided by militants arrested along with DySP Davinder Singh, now suspended, he added.

The DGP said Wani was one of the top-ranking commanders of Hizbul Mujahideen. He was involved in 19 cases, including killings of four civilians and as many policemen. “Adil was involved in some of these killings after he deserted the force in September 2018,” he said.

Singh said the elimination of this group of militants will remove fear from the minds of people in Shopian and bring closure to the kin of their victims.

(With inputs from agencies)

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