Hizb militant killed in Anantnag encounter

Tribune News Service

New Delhi, December 24

Security forces today killed a Hizbul Mujahideen militant in an encounter in Anantnag district, the police said. Identified as Shahzad Ahmad Seh, a resident of Sehpora in Kulgam, the militant had been reportedly involved in killing an inspector and BJP workers among others. A police official said, “The trapped terrorist was asked to surrender, but he fired indiscriminately upon the joint search party which resulted into the encounter.”

The crimes he is said to have committed

• Shahzad Ahmad Seh killed Inspector Mohammad Ashraf Bhat in Anantnag and three BJP workers in Kulgam in October 2020
• He killed a BJP sarpanch and his wife in Anantnag on August 9 and attacked DDC candidate Anees ul Islam in December 2020
• He is said to have attacked several security establishments

The terrorist was gunned down and his body was retrieved from the site of the shootout. “As per police records, the man was a categorised terrorist linked with Hizbul Mujahideen and was part of groups involved in several terror cases,” he said.

Seh was involved in the killing of police Inspector Mohammad Ashraf Bhat in Anantnag in October last year. “He was involved in the killing of three BJP workers at YK-Pora Kulgam in October last year. He was also involved in the killing of a BJP sarpanch and his wife at Lal-Chowk Anantnag on August 9 this year,” the spokesman said. He said the slain militant was also involved in the attack on DDC candidate Anees ul Islam Ganie at Sagam Kokernag in December last year and in snatching the weapon from a constable at Shamsipora crossing in Khudwani area of Kulgam in July this year.

“Moreover, he was involved in various grenade lobbing incidents and attacks on security establishments in Anantnag and Kulgam areas,” the spokesman said. Arms and ammunition, including an AK-47 rifle, two AK magazines, 40 AK rounds and a grenade, were recovered from his possession and all the seized materials have been taken into case records for further investigation, the official added. (With PTI inputs)