At least two Hizb-ul-Mujahideen militants including district commander Pulwama were killed in the gunfight between forces and militants in Sharshali area of Khrew in Awantipora area of South Kashmir’s Pulwama district, police said. According to KNO correspondent, a joint search operation by police and forces was launched in the area following specific information about the presence of militants there.Police said that the search party was fired upon by the militants, which was retaliated thus leading to an encounter in which two militants affiliated with Hizb were killed. They identified the slain militants as Adnan Ahmad Lone alias Uqaab, son of Ghulam Mohammad Lone of Braw Bandina, Awantipora and Adil Bilal Bhat alias Umair Al Hizbi, son of Bilal Ahmad Bhat of Malangpora, Pulwama.Police said that as per the records, Adnan Lone was known as district commander of Pulwama for HM. “Both the militants were wanted by the law for their complicity in a series of terror crimes including attack on security establishments and civilian atrocities. Adnan Lone as per Police records was one of the top commanders of HM and had a long history of terror crime records since 2015. He was a close associate of commander Reyaz Naikoo and had escaped from encounter site at Srinagar earlier. Several terror cases were registered against him,” police said.
Similarly, Adil Bhat being a close associate of Reyaz Naikoo was also involved in several crimes, police said, adding that among several other offences, he also figured in killing of HC Ashiq Hussain at Awantipora in October 2017.Police added that no collateral damage took place during the encounter, adding that police has registered a case and initiated investigation in the matter. “Huge quantity of arms and ammunition including rifles were recovered from the site of encounter. All these materials have been taken in the case records for further investigation and probe their complicity in other cases,” police said.Meanwhile, police appealed people not to venture inside the encounter zone since such an area can prove dangerous due to stray explosive materials. “People are requested to cooperate with police till the area is completely sanitized and cleared of all the explosives materials,” police said.Meanwhile, thousands of people participated in the funeral procession of slain militants at their native villages today. Reports said that multiple rounds of funeral prayers were held for the slain militants.Meanwhile, clashes also erupted between youth and forces in Sopore area of north Kashmir’s Baramulla district after the forces tear gassed mourners who were carrying the body of a slain militant Mehraj-ud-din, who was killed in Budgam encounter on Wednesday along with a top Lashkar commander Naved Jutt. Reports said that forces used tear gas canisters to disperse the youth who were throwing stones on them. Scores of people also sustained injuries during the clashes, witnesses said.(KNO)