One militant was on Friday killed in a brief shootout in South Kashmir’s Pulwama district, police said. Police as per KNO said that “based on a credible input about the presence of militants in Bandipora area of Pulwama, a cordon and search operation was launched in the morning hours jointly by Police and security forces in the area.”“As the searches were going on, the search party was fired upon by the militants. The fire was retaliated leading to a gunfight,” police said, adding that in the ensuing encounter, one militant identified as Ishfaq Yousuf Wani, son of Mohammad Yousuf Wani of Koil Pulwama was neutralized.He was wanted by the law for his complicity in a series of crimes including attacks on security establishments and civilian atrocities, police said, adding that “A case has been registered and investigation into the matter has been initiated.”“Incriminating materials including arms and ammunition were recovered from the site of encounter. All these materials have been taken in the case records for further investigation and probe his complicity in other crimes,” he said.
Meanwhile, police appealed locals 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 if any,” police said. Pertinently, according to KNO correspondent, Ishfaq had gone missing earlier this year following which he joined the militant ranks.Ishfaq, an MBA pass out from Baba Gulam Shah Badshah University Rajouri had told his family that he is going to take part in examination at university before leaving home but joined the militant ranks. The family had also lodged a missing report at concerned Police station, family said. His mother, Rafiqa Banoo had urged all organisations to return their son.Ishfaq a meritorious student was initially a student of Alamdar Public school Koil, then he choose a science stream and completed his BSC from Government degree college Pulwama and later opted for Masters in Business administration, said one of his friend Rizwan Ahmad. After completing his MBA in the year 2015, he had joined ICICI Bank however left it after one year and started fruit business with which he was associated before he left, his friend added.Meanwhile, thousands of people attended the funeral prayers of the slain militant during which people were seen raising slogans in favour of freedom and militants and against India. The slain militant was later laid to rest at his native villages amid tears, sobs.(KNO)