| Top JeM Commander killed in encounter at Sopore | | Arms and ammunition recovered, operation underway | | S TAHIR-UL HAQ
EARLY TIMES REPORT
BARAMULLA, Apr 8: After night long siege in Armpora village of Sopore town, a top militant commander of JeM outfit killed on Wednesday in an encounter that erupted between militants and security forces in north Kashmir’s Baramulla district.
A top police official said that, following inputs about the presence of militant’s movement in Armpora area, a joint team of security forces including army’s 22 RR, CRPF, Police and Special Operation Group (SOG) of police wing launched a cordon and search operation (CASO) at Gulabad area of Arampora Sopore.
“As the security forces were carrying search in the area, the hiding militants opened fire on our men and that was immediately retaliated and thus lead to a fierce gunfight in the area”, the police official told early times.
He said that, all the entry and exits points were sealed with concertina wire after which lights were also installed so that militants could not escape owing to darkness.
In the exchange of fire, one local militant got killed. He has been identified as Sajad Ahmad Dar resident of Saidapora, Sopore the police official said.
He said that, the killed militant was active from 2018 and a number of cases were registered against him for subversive activities as he was involved in recruiting local youth for joining militancy in north Kashmir.
Till the last reports came in, the search progress was underway to clear the area and to ensure all explosives are cleared at the encounter site, the official added.
However, sources told Early Times that, in the exchange of fire between the two sides lasted up to this afternoon and the residential house in which the militants were hiding caught fire, and after searches body of the militant Sajad Nawab Dar of Saidpora was recovered from the debris.
They said that to maintain law and order situation in the area, the mobile internet services remained suspended in Sopore and its adjoining areas since midnight.
Sources further said that on April 7, security forces had apprehended two over ground workers (OGWs) namely Mudasir Ahmed Gujri and Saqib Rashid Shosha, near Chijhama in Rafiaiabd area and recovered 2 pistols and 12 live rounds of 9 mm ammunition from their possession |
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