Three militants, including the brother of an IPS officer, were killed in a fierce gunfight in south Kashmir’s Shopian on Tuesday. Fifteen persons, including four photo-journalists and six security personnel, were injured in clashes during the encounter.
Shamsul Haq Mengnoo, whose elder brother Inamul Haq is an IPS officer of the 2012 batch and posted in northeastern India, was trapped and killed along with two other militants in a daylong operation in the Shirmal-Zainapora area, an official said. Security forces blasted the hideout in an orchard.
Former Director-General of Police S.P. Vaid described Menghoo’s killing as “a sad end.” “I remember the efforts that were made by his brother and other family members and the J&K police to bring him back to the mainstream but he met with a sad end today,” said Mr. Vaid.
The police identified the other militants as Aamir Suhail Bhat and Shoaib Ahmad Shah, both from Shopian.
Mengnoo, a resident of Shopian’s Draggud village, was pursuing a Bachelors degree in Unani Medicine and Surgery (BUMS) degree in Srinagar when he was reported missing in May 2018. He later joined the Hizbul Mujahideen.
The police identified the other two militants as Aamir Suhail Bhat and Shoaib Ahmad Shah, both from Shopian. “Mengnoo was part of terror conspiracies along with others, leading to weapon snatching, recruitment and attacks on the security forces. The bodies were handed over to their families after completion of medico-legal formalities,” said the police.
The operation, launched early on Tuesday despite the inclement weather, was jointly carried out by the Army’s 44 Rashtriya Rifles, para commandos and the special Operations Group (SOG) of the police, following inputs on the presence of a group of militants. One Army jawan was injured in the cross fire.
Arms seized
According to the police spokesman, the bodies of all three militants were recovered and incriminating materials, including arms and ammunition, were seized from the encounter site.
The police said it was a difficult operation due to the terrain.
Sporadic clashes continued through the day in the district. Internet services were suspended as a precautionary measure.
Meanwhile, the police on Tuesday identified the three slain militants killed in the Budgam operation on Monday as Al-Badr’s Ali Mohammad Mir from Pulwama’s Lassipora, Syed Rabani Shopian’s Nazneenpora and Towseef Ahmad Itoo from Pulwama’s Nowpora-Payeen.
