 Jehangir Rashid
Early Times Report
SRINAGAR, Feb 5: Two militants were killed and a Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) jawan were martyred in a brief shoot-out at Lawaypora near Narbal on the outskirts of summer capital of union territory of Jammu & Kashmir. Yet another militant was caught alive in injured condition by the security forces.
Reports said that the shoot-out took place at Lawaypora near the high power transmitter of All India Radio, Srinagar. The spot where the encounter took place falls on the outskirts of Srinagar city and is located on the strategic Srinagar-Baramulla highway. The encounter turned out to be brief one with both the militants being killed in no time by the security forces. Eye-witnesses told Early Times that the three militants were riding a scooty and they fired upon CRPF after being stopped at a joint naka set up by Jammu & Kashmir Police and CRPF. A CRPF jawan died on the spot in instant firing. The slain militants have been identified as Zia-ur-Rehman Wani, resident of Arath in Budgam district and Khateeb Ahmad Dass, resident of Bijbehara in Anantnag district. The third militant who was caught alive has been identified as Umar Fayaz, a resident of Chattabal-Srinagar. A police spokesman said that in a militant attack at Lawaypora today in the outskirts of Srinagar city, two militants were killed in the exchange of fire with police and security forces. “At about 1145 hours, militants fired at the joint naka of CRPF and police at Lawaypora. In the exchange of fire two militant CRPF jawan displayed bravery in killing terrorists
Early Times Report
Srinagar, Feb 5: Slain CRPF jawan Ramesh Ranjan (30) played an "instrumental" role in the killing of two terrorists and injuring of another when they were intercepted at a checkpost near Srinagar in Jammu and Kashmir on Wednesday, officials said. Ranjan, from the 73rd battalion of the force, suffered a fatal bullet shot on his head during the gunbattle with the terrorists, but kept on fighting "valiantly" and also retaliated with firing from his rifle. He succumbed to his injuries subsequently.
"I bow down to our brave brother who sacrificed his life in the service of the nation. Our thoughts are with his near and dear ones," CRPF Director General (DG) A P Maheshwari said. A wreath-laying ceremony was held at the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) camp in Srinagar in the evening after which Ranjan's body is expected to be airlifted and brought to Delhi for subsequent transportation to his home town in Bihar. Nearly a month away from his 31st birthday, Ranjan hailed from Bihar's Arrah. The third injured terrorist is admitted to a hospital in Srinagar.
According to police records, Khateeb Dass was the brother-in-law of militant Mugees Mir of Parimpora who was earlier killed in an encounter. Khateeb as per police records was affiliated with Hizbul Mujahideen and had been part of groups involved in carrying out militant attacks in the areas of South Kashmir. Several cases were registered against him including case FIR No. 104/2015. As per police records Zia u Rehman Wani was affiliated with Lashkar-e-Toiba and was part of groups involved in carrying out attacks on guard posts, security deployments and several other grenade attacks besides civilian atrocities. He had history of militancy related incidents since 2018. Several cases were registered against him including case FIR No. 73/2018 pertaining to decamping of weapons from the residential guard post of erstwhile Congress MLC Muzaffar Parray at Jawahar Nagar Srinagar.
Police said that incriminating material including arms and ammunition was recovered from the militants. | 