A local resident of Sopore in north Kashmir’s Baramulla district, who had got recycled into militancy in 2018, was killed in a fierce but a brief shoot out at South Kashmir’s Shopian district while his associate managed to escape from the spot, police told KNO. According to the police, on the basis of credible input, a cordon and search operation was launched today morning at Ram Nagri area of Herpora in District Shopian.During the search operation, the hiding militants fired on the search party. The fire was retaliated leading to a brief exchange of fire, the police spokesman said in a statement issued here. “He said that in the brief exchange of fire, one terrorist was killed and he has been identified as Ishfaq Ahmad Sofi alias Umar son of Mushtaq Ahmad resident of Model Town-B, Sopore,” the police said.According to the police records, Ishfaq had a long history of crime records and was initially affiliated with Harkatul Mujahideen, a militant outfit. He along with his other militant associates was involved in series of militant crimes including grenade attacks on CRPF bunker at Safa Kadal, Soura and Police Station Khanyar. He was also part of groups which had carried out attacks on security establishments in the area.Ishfaq was subsequently arrested and after his release on bail, he again got recycled and joined the militant ranks last year in 2018. Ishfaq, as per the police records, after getting recycled again got involved in planning and executing militant attacks.
He was also involved in attacks on security establishments and many other civilian atrocities in the area for which several militant cases were registered against him. As such he was wanted by law for his complicity in a series of crimes. Incriminating material including arms and ammunition has been recovered from the killed militant.Pertinently, with the efforts of police and security forces, it was a clean operation and no collateral damage took place during the exchange of fire. Talking to reporters, Director General of Police Dilbagh Singh said that the slain Ishfaq was once arrested when he was associated with the TuM and prior to his release, he joined Islamic State inspired group. “Another one accompanying Ishfaq, managed to escape,” the DGP said.Locals defy curbs to attend funeral of slain militant: According to eye-witnesses despite internet gag and restrictions, thousands of people defied curbs to participate in the funeral procession of the slain Ishfaq at model town Sopore.The witnesses said that Ishfaq’s body was carried out in the form of a procession with people chanting pro-Islam and pro-freedom slogans. He was later laid to rest at martyr’s graveyard Sopore. The authorities had barred the internet services in the area soon after the slain was identity as the native of Sopore.(KNO)