5 terrorists gunned down in Shopian

Tribune News Service

New Delhi, October 12

Security forces today neutralised five terrorists in two encounters in Tulran and Feeripora villages of Shopian district. Among them was Mukhtar Shah, reportedly involved in the recent killings of Sumo Taxi Association president Mohd Shafi Lone in Bandipora and Bihari street vendor Virendra Paswan in Srinagar.

A police spokesperson said two of the four recent cases of target killings had been solved.

The spokesperson said the security personnel, acting on specific inputs, launched a cordon-and-search operation in the two villages. At Tulran, the terrorists were given repeated opportunities to surrender, but they fired indiscriminately upon the joint search party, which was retaliated, leading to the encounter, the official said.

“Due to darkness, the operation was suspended, but the cordon was kept intact. In the wee hours today, repeated announcements were again made asking the terrorists to surrender, but they again fired at the joint search party and it was retaliated,” he said, adding that three terrorists were killed and their bodies were retrieved from the encounter site.

The slain terrorists have been identified as Danish Hussain Dar of Shopian, Yawar Hussain Naikoo of Pahlipora and Mukhtar Ahmed Shah of Ganderbal, all associated with The Resistance Front, a shadow outfit of the Lashkar-e-Taiba.

Meanwhile, the police spokesperson said the search operation at Feeripora also remained suspended throughout the night and was resumed in the wee hours of Tuesday. They too were asked to surrendered, but they didn’t.

They have been identified as Ubaid Ahmad Dar of Ray Kapren in Shopian and Khubaib Ahmad Nengroo of Braripora.

Ultras given chance to surrender

• Security agencies have identified the terrorists they believe are behind the civilian killings in Srinagar last week, officials said.
• The attackers include their 25-year-old kingpin Basit Ahmed Dar of Kulgam, who worked with the slain ultra, Abbas Sheikh.
• Other suspects are Mehran Shalla of Nawa Kadal and Adil.