3 ultras shot in two gunfights in Kashmir

Arjun Sharma

Jammu, June 20

Three militants were gunned down in two separate encounters with security forces in Kashmir on Monday, taking the number of the ultras killed in the past 24 hours to seven. A police spokesperson said two militants were killed in a fresh exchange of fire in an ongoing encounter in Kupwara district where two more militants were killed on Sunday. In a tweet, the spokesperson said incriminating materials, arms and ammunition had been seized and a search operation had been going on.

Ahead of Amarnath Yatra, anti-militancy ops intensified

• Army intelligence and other security agencies are focusing on searching and eliminating terrorists across the UT as Amarnath Yatra is about to begin on June 30.
• Pakistan’s ISI wants to instil fear in minorities living in Kashmir, say sources. Over 110 terrorists have been gunned down in a number of encounters this year so far.

In another encounter in Pulwama district, an unidentified militant was neutralised. The encounter broke out in Pulwama’s Chatpora after security personnel launched a cordon-and-search operation in the area, a police official said. While this report was being filed, the operation had been going on.

Since the spate of targeted killings, the security forces have been carrying out an operation to search and eliminate the terrorists. The militants had started killing civilians, mostly Hindus, last year. Recently, they stepped up the killings, targeting mostly Kashmiri Pandit employees working under the PM’s special employment package, forcing a large number of Hindus to flee to Jammu.

Concerned over it, the Union Ministry of Home had asked the intelligence agencies to focus on the terrorists behind the killings. The Army intelligence is also coordinating in the operations against terrorists.

Sources in the Army intelligence said coordinated operations were being carried out in Kashmir to wipe out the ultras that could become a threat to the Amarnath pilgrims.

“Pakistan’s ISI is running a campaign to instill fear in the Hindus in Kashmir. Not only hybrid terrorists, but also Pakistani ultras are being used for targeted killings. Our intelligence is working to eliminate such threats before Amarnath Yatra begins,” sources added.

On June 16, two terrorists of the Hizbul Mujahideen outfit were killed in Anantnag. One of them, Basit Ahmed Wani, had killed a sarpanch in September 2021. On June 14, two terrorists were killed in Shopian. Another was eliminated on June 7 in Alura village in Shopian. A top LeT Pakistani terrorist, Tufail, was killed the same day in Baramulla district. Hanzalla of Lahore was gunned down in Panipora forests in Sopore, Baramulla.

Security forces have so far killed over 110 terrorists this year. The administration is working on two fronts—eliminating terrorists and securing lodging and boarding areas for Amarnath pilgrims.

Union Minister Jitendra Singh had on Sunday reviewed the arrangements for Amarnath Yatra in Ramban. (With inputs)