Militant, 2 Army Men Killed in Shopian Military Operation: Police

“The house owner, who misled the search party of security forces, was arrested in a terror law for providing shelter to militant and misleading security forces.”

SRINAGAR — A militant and two armed forces personnel were killed in a military operation in south Kashmir’s Shopian district on Saturday.

Inspector General of police Kashmir zone, Vijay Kumar on Saturday said that a militant of LeT outfit and two soldiers were killed in a military operation in Chermarg village of Shopian district in the morning. 

In a statement, IGP said that two soldiers were injured after the militant, who was hiding in a house fired upon the search party of security forces. 

The statement read that the injured soldiers later succumbed to their injuries while hiding militant was also killed in the retaliatory firing. It read that the house owner, who misled the search party of security forces, was arrested in a terror law for providing shelter to militant and misleading security forces. 

“Based on a specific input provided by Police, a joint operation was launched at Chermarg, Shopian by Army and Police during in the intervening night of 18/19 February 2022. Following the drill, a cluster of houses waRE taken into cordon and the process of evacuating the civilians started. During the process, when search party reached one of the houses belonging to Gowhar Ahmad Bhat. The house owner intentionally misled the search party and denied sheltering the terrorist in his house,” it read. 

It read that while he was being questioned, a militant sheltered in the house opened fire on the search party causing grievous injuries to two of the Soldiers.  

“In the retaliatory action, one militant of LeT outfit namely Ab Qayoom Dar r/o Laroo Kakpora Pulwama was neutralised and arms and ammunitions including one AK rifle and a pistol were recovered. Later on both, injured soldiers got martyrdom. Case registered and house owner has been arrested under terror laws.” 

The statement read that the slain militant had a history of being a militant associate. “In April 2020 an encounter took place in his house. He was arrested and booked under PSA. He was released in August 2021 but kept silently working for militants. SSP Pulwama officially intimated some days earlier that he had left house and joined as an active terrorist of LeT outfit. Consequently he has been categorised as C category militant,” it read. (KNS)