Srinagar: Two Srinagar-based Lashkar-e-Toiba (LeT) militants were killed Friday, officials said. In the shootout two personnel for the security forces were also injured, they added.
“Acting on specific information generated by police about the presence of terrorists in Alamdar Colony in Danmar locality of this city, a joint cordon and search operation was launched by police and the CRPF in the said area,” a police spokesman said. During the search operation as the presence of terrorists got ascertained, they were given repeated opportunities to surrender. However, they fired indiscriminately upon the joint search party who retaliated, leading to an encounter in the early hours.
“In the ensuing encounter, two terrorists of proscribed terror outfit LeT were killed. Their bodies were later retrieved from the site of the encounter. They have been identified as Irfan Ahmad Sofi and Bilal Ahmad Bhat, both residents of Natipora in Srinagar,” the spokesman informed.
The officials said two security force personnel – one from the police and another from the CRPF were injured. They were taken to the 92 Base Hospital for treatment.
The spokesman said Sofi and Bhat belonged to LeT offshoot ‘The Resistance Front’ (TRF) and had joined militant ranks in December last year. According to police records, they were part of groups involved in several terror crime cases, including attacks on police and security forces, and civilian atrocities.
Both the killed terrorists executed a series of attacks on policemen, security forces and civilians. They were also involved in the killing of a personal security officer of a PDP leader at Natipora December 14 last year. They were also involved in the March 25 attack on road opening party of the CRPF’s 73 Battalion in Lawaypora, in which two personnel were killed.
“It is pertinent to mention that they were also involved in a series of grenade attacks as well as petrol bomb attacks on security forces in Srinagar city,” the spokesman said.
Inspector General of Police, Kashmir, Vijay Kumar congratulated the security forces for the big success that led to the elimination of two most-wanted terrorists. Kumar said in this year, 78 terrorists have been neutralised in the Kashmir valley so far.
