 Saahil Suhail
Early Times Report
anantnag, Apr 5: Militant outfit Hizbul Mujahideen has expelled one its top commanders for choosing not to fight in Shopian encounter last week in which it suffered heavy loss.
Zeenat-ul-Islam, according to a poster released by the outfit, was sacked for escaping from the encounter site instead of choosing to fight.
The outfit has also initiated a probe to ascertain reasons behind huge casualties suffered by it in the encounter.
"After suffering heavy loss on April 1, a meeting was held to pay homage to slain militants and to take several important decisions. Among them one was to expel Commander Zeenat-ul-Islam from Hizbul Mujahideen as he failed to fulfil the responsibility of a commander," reads the poster, a copy of which lies with this newspaper.
According to the poster, Zeenat-ul-Islam escaped from the encounter site in Kachdoora, Shopian instead of fighting with his five other colleagues.
Few days ago, sources revealed to Early Times that militants held a meeting in southern Kashmir and upheld the decision of Divisional Commander (Ops) Reyaz Niakoo.
The meeting was attended by over 30 armed members of the outfit and Commander Zeenat-ul-Islam had been asked to handover the weapon.
Pleading anonymity, a top level officer in Security establishment confirmed the development. "Zeenat-ul-Islam could join Ansar Gazhwat-ul Hind, al Qaeda's India branch," he said.
On last Sunday, Indian Army killed 13 militants in Shopian and Anantnag districts. The major counter-terrorism offensive also claimed the lives of three army jawans and four civilians. |
