Monitor News Bureau
Srinagar, Nov 29: Two top aides of Hizb-ul Mujahideen, Chief Riyaz Naikoo were killed in an encounter with security forces in Khrew area of Awantipora.
A police spokesperson claimed that based on a credible input about the presence of militants at Sharshali in Awantipora area of Pulwama district, a cordon and search operation was launched swiftly by security forces in the early hours of Thursday.
The official said as the searches were going on, the security forces were fired upon by militants. The fire was retaliated by security forces, leading to a gunfight.
“In the ensuing encounter, two militants were neutralized and the bodies were retrieved from the site of encounter. Incriminating materials including arms and ammunition were recovered from the site of encounter,” police said.
The militants have been identified as Adnan Ahmad Lone alias Uqaab, of Braw Bandina in Awantipora, and Adil Bilal Bhat alias Umair Al Hizbi, of Malangpora in Pulwama.
The two slain militants were said to be extremely close associates of Naikoo.
Adil Bhat had escaped from encounters in Srinagar a number of times.” Adil was also behind the killing of head constable Ashiq Hussain in Awantipora in October 2017,” police claimed.
Another militant, Adnan Lone was inducted in Hizb-ul Mujahideen before the killing of its top commander Burhan Wani and was in-charge of the outfit’s finances. According to police, Adnan was also the district commander of Pulwama.
Adil became active in 2017 whereas Adnan was active since 2015.
DGP Dilbagh Singh said, “Acting on a specific intelligence input, security forces busted the hideout in a house and killed the militants.”
“The operation was a crucial one and extremely well-coordinated. No collateral damage occurred in the operation,” Singh said.
This comes a day after top Pakistani commander of the Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) Naveed Jatt along with his associate was killed in Budgam.
Meanwhile, militant outfit Hizbul Mujhadeen Thursday paid rich tribute to two militants killed in Khrew gunbattle.
Adnan Lone and Adil Bhat, both residents of Awantipora were killed on Thursday morning.
As per a statement, the outfit Chief Syed Salahuddin said that from past couple of days at least 26 militants were killed. “Nation is indebted to these budding youth who have laid their precious lives for the bright future of Kashmir,” he said.
Salahuddin said that the names of these “martyrs will be written in the golden letters in the annals of history”. “We will never forget these youth and won’t allow their sacred blood to go waste,” he added.
Deputy Chief Commander of the outfit, Saifullah Khalid paid tribute to Naveed Jat and Mehrajuddin who were killed in Chattargam encounter.
Thousands participate in funeral of Sopore militant
Sopore, Nov 29: Thousands of people participated in last rites of slain militant Mehraj-ud-Din Khan amid strict restrictions in Sopore town of North Kashmir’s Baramulla district.
Mehraj-ud-Din Khan alias Maroof and Kaleemullah was the second ‘militant’ killed in a gunfight along with LeT commander Naveed Jatt at Chattergam in central Kashmir’s Budgam district on Wednesday.
It took police at least 15 hours to identify him and accordingly his body was handed over to family in New Colony Sopore.
Mehraj, who as per police was an overground worker of the militants, had reportedly fled away from a police station in Sopore on 5 October 2018, just four days after his arrest.
Thousands of people rushed to his native place as soon the his body reached there. They raised pro-freedom and pro-Islam slogans.
Government forces fired tear gas on the mourners during the funeral prayers of slain militant Mehraj-ud-Din. Witnesses said that a number of mourners were injured in police action. They added that youth resorted to massive stone-pelting while Forces fired pellets and tear-smoke shells to dissipate them.
Despite massive clashes and shelling the funeral prayers of Din were held at Iqbal market of the town.
The killing of Mehraj sparked spontaneous shutdown while authorities suspended internet service and imposed strict restrictions to curb the movement of the people. All shops and business establishments and educational institutions remained shut in wake of the killing of the local militant.
