The Kashmir Pulse

SRINAGAR — More than 26 months after going missing, a BVSc-turned-Hizbul Mujahideen militant was killed in a gunfight with a joint team of government forces in Shopian. He was a Category-B militant, the Inspector General of Police said on Tuesday.

Raja Nadeem son of Abdul Rahman Rather of Ashmuji Kulgam, pursuing a Bachelor's degree in Veterinary Science (BVSc) 4th Semester at Sher-e-Kashmir University of Agricultural Sciences (SKUAST), was killed in the encounter at Aloora Badimarg area of south Kashmir's Shopian district.

The 22-year-old was missing since March 27, 2020, IGP Kashmir Vijay Kumar said, adding, “He was B-category (militant). Meanwhile, searches continue,” he said.

The encounter had started after a joint team of Police and Army launched a cordon and search operation in the area.

SRINAGAR — Police on Saturday said that a commander of Hizb-ul-Mujahideen oufit was killed in an overnight gunfight at Rishipora area of Kapran in South Kashmir’s Anantnag district.

While quoting IGP Kashmir Vijay Kumar, The Kashmir Police Zone tweeted, "Militant Commander of outfit HM Nisar Khanday killed. Incriminating materials, arms & ammunition including 01 AK 47 rifle recovered. Operation in progress,".

As per the official records Nisar Ahmad Khanday resident of Doru Anantnag was active since 12 October 2018 in Anantnag district.

The gunfight had started on Friday and intial exchange of firing three army troopers and civilian was injured. All were shifted to 92Base hospital for treatment, where their condition is said to be stable.

SRINAGAR — Two militants affiliated with Hizbul Mujahideen (HM) outfit were killed in a brief gunfight between militants and government forces in Sheetipora village of Bijbehara in south Kashmir’s Anantnag district on Saturday evening.

A senior police official told news agency Kashmir News Observer (KNO) that acting on a specific input, a joint team of Police, Army's 3 RR and CRPF, after receiving information about the presence of militants, launched a search operation in the area.

He said that as the joint team of forces intensified searches towards the suspected spot, the hiding militants fired upon the party, which was retaliated, thus triggering an encounter.

He said that during the exchange of fire, two local militants affiliated with Hizbul Mujahideen were killed and both were involved in several militancy-related cases.

Inspector-General of Police (IGP) Kashmir Vijay Kumar said that the slain duo were identified as Ishfaq Ahmad Ganie, a resident of Chakwangund, Anantnag and Yawar Ayub Dar of Dogripora Awantipora.

Pertinently, 12 militants including six locals and six non-locals were killed in Kashmir valley in the last four days.

On May 25, three non-local militants affiliated with Jaish-e-Mohammad (JeM) and a cop were killed in a 'chance' encounter in Kreeri area of Baramulla. On May 26, three non-local Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) militants and an Army porter was killed in an encounter in Kupwara district.

Two newly-recruited local militants affiliated with LeT namely Shahid Mushtaq Bhat from Hafroo Chadoora and Farhan Habib from Hakripora Pulwama who, according to police, killed TV artist Amreen Bhat were killed in an encounter in Aganhanzipora Awantipora on May 27. On the same day, two newly-recruited LeT militants namely Shakir Ahmed Waza and Afreen Aftab Bhat, both residents of Trenz Shopian, were killed in an encounter in Soura, Srinagar.

SRINAGAR — The longest-surviving Hizbul Mujahideen commander Ashraf Molvi was killed along with two other militants in the woods of Batkoot area of Pahalgam in south Kashmir’s Anantnag district on Friday.

Inspector-General of Police Kashmir Vijay Kumar confirmed to GNS that Ashraf Molvi along with two other militants have been killed in Pahalgam.

Mohd Ashraf Khan alias Ashraf Molvi, a resident of Tengpawa Kokernag, had joined Hizb in 2013 and soon became the most wanted militant in the valley. 'He was instrumental in recruiting locals into the outfit," the top cop said.

Earlier, a joint team of Police and 19 RR of the Army launched a cordon and search operation in the Batkoot forest.

As the joint team of the forces intensified their search towards the suspected spot, the hiding militants fired upon the search party, leading to an encounter.