Inspector General of Police Kashmir Zone Tuesday said that they will ask Pakistan to collect the body of Talha Rashid, the nephew of militant commander Masood Azhar.“Since the militant outfit Jaish-e-Muhammad owned Talha, so we will ask (Pakistan) to collect his body. Matter will be taken up through proper channels,” IGP Munir Khan told reporters during a press briefing here in Kashmir capital Srinagar.This is the second time Jammu Kashmir Police have asked Pakistan to collect the body of its citizen. Earlier in August this year, after the killing of Lashkar-e-Taiba militant commander Abu Dujana, Jammu Kashmir Police had said that they will approach the Pakistan High Commission through Indian Home Ministry asking them to collect his body.Pertinently, three militants including Talha Rasheed and an Indian soldier were killed in a fierce gun battle at Kandi Aglar village of South Kashmir’s Pulwama district.“First time they have owned a Pakistani militant. Yes, he is nephew of Maulan Azhar. Now we will take up the matter through channel and we request this time to family to claim the body because they have owned this militant,” he said.
Meanwhile, Jammu Kashmir Police issued a handout regarding the Pulwama gunfight that reads: “Following credible leads Police along with 44 RR and 182/183 CRPF conducted an operation in Aglar Kandi area in the jurisdiction of P/S Rajpora in which three JeM militants, 2 foreign militants and one local militant including the Divisional Commander for the South Kashmir Mehmood, were killed. The local militant is known as Waseem Ganaie of Pulwama who joined militancy recently. It is also learnt that Talhala Rashid the nephew of JeM Chief Maulana Masud Azhar was one among the three dead militants.While the cordon was being laid militants opened fire in which one army jawan identified as Ct Shamsunder of 44 RR and a civilian identified as Tariq Ahmad Dar resident of Aglar Kandi got injured. The army jawan was killed while as the injured civilian was evacuated and shifted to the hospital. His condition is stated to be stable.From the encounter site three weapons which include one AK 47 Draco rifle, one M4 carbine colt rifle and one pistol besides ammunition were recovered. It is pertinent to mention that this M4 carbine colt rifle was in the social media in the recent time. Further, it is the same group that was wanted for the attack on the police naka a couple of days before at P/S Rajpora, where police official SgCt Abdul Salam was killed. Investigation of the case is in progress. (CNS)