Two terrorists, 2 ‘supporters’ killed in Srinagar encounter

Two terrorists and two local businessmen were killed in an encounter with security forces in Hyderpora area of Srinagar on Monday evening (November 15).

The Jammu and Kashmir police said the two businessmen, Dr Mudasir Gul and Altaf Bhat, were “terrorist supporters”.

Gul and Bhat had shops in the complex where the said encounter took place. Mudsir Gul was a dentist by training but managed a call centre in the shopping complex. Altaf Bhat owned the complex, besides he had a hardware and cement shop inside.

IGP Kashmir Vijay Kumar said, “The house owner who was injured in militant fire, succumbed to injuries. Militants have been hiding on top floor of his building. As per source and digital evidence, he has been working as militant associate. Search is still going on.”

The encounter happened when the CRPF and J&K police launched a joint operation in the area after getting inputs about the possible presence of terrorists.

Former Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti has sought an inquiry. “Using innocent civilians as human shields, getting them killed in cross firing & then conveniently labelling them as OGWs is part of GOIs rulebook now. Imperative that a credible judicial enquiry is done to bring out the truth & put an end to this rampant culture of impunity,” Mufti tweeted.

The families of Bhat and Gul said it was a targeted killing, but the police said the duo was killed in the crossfire.

IGP Kumar said, “I’m saying Altaf was killed in cross-firing. I’m not saying if he was killed by militants or we have fired at him. During the encounter whose bullet hit him is matter of investigation. If he was hit by pistol bullet then terrorists have killed, if hit by AK rifle, then we can say he was hit by our bullet.”

“At 10 pm last night we heard Dr Mudasir was killed. Please do justice and give us his body. He was a dental surgeon and running his business in the complex in Hyderpora,” said a relative.

Another family member said that Dr Mudasir Gul is not an OGW (overground worker of terrorists), as claimed by the police.

The security forces buried bodies of all the four deceased in Handwara area of north Kashmir, a little away from Srinagar. Earlier, families of Bhat and Gul had demanded their bodies for the last rites. The police refused on the grounds that it may create law and order problem.

“You killed my innocent uncle Mohammad Altaf Bhat in cold blooded murder in Hyderpora, you used him as human shield and now saying he was “OGW”. return us his body” tweeted Saima Bhat.

Police said that Gul’s call centre was used for terrorist activities. They recovered two pistols from the spot.

Srinagar has witnessed a spurt in the number of terrorist-security forces encounters of late. Last week, a terrorist was killed in an encounter that broke out in the Hamdaniya Colony area of Bemina in Srinagar. An AK rifle and some ammunitions were recovered. The deceased, Aamir Riyaz, was associated with terror outfit Mujahideen Gazwatul Hind, the police said.

On November 14, a policeman was injured when fired at by a terrorist in downtown area of Srinagar.