Top Jaish man killed in Shopian encounter

Tribune News Service

New Delhi, March 15

Top Jaish-e-Mohammed commander Sajjad Afghani has been killed in an encounter at Rawalpora area of Shopian district in South Kashmir.

Jammu and Kashmir Director General of Police Dilbag Singh confirmed that Afghani, who was instrumental in recruiting terrorists, had been killed in the encounter that entered its third day.

Another terrorist killed in the encounter has been identified as Jahangir Ahmad Wani from Rakh Narapora, who was affiliated to Lashkar-e-Taiba.

Kashmir IGP Vijay Kumar congratulated the joint force of J&K Police, Army’s 34 Rashtriya Rifles and the CRPF for eliminating Afghani during the three-day encounter that started on Saturday after inputs regarding presence of terrorists.

A joint cordon and search operation was launched by the forces on Saturday. The police said after the presence of terrorists was ascertained during the search operation, they were given an opportunity to surrender, but the terrorists fired indiscriminately at the joint search party, which retaliated, leading to an encounter.

The J&K Police said even on Sunday morning they made repeated announcements, telling the hiding terrorists to surrender but the terrorists fired at the joint search party, which led to Jahangir Ahmad Wani’s death.

One US-made M4 carbine, three magazines, 36 armor piercing rounds and Rs 9,600 were recovered from the slain militant’s possession at the encounter site, the J&K Police said, adding that three residential houses, from where the militants were firing, were damaged after security forces fired mortars.

Meanwhile, three youths and a police constable were injured in clashes as part of the three-day encounter where security forces initially fired pellets, burst teargas shells and resorted to lathicharge to disperse the stone-pelting demonstrators on Sunday.