Two militants, including wanted militant ‘commander’ Zeenat-ul-Islam, were killed in an encounter in south Kashmir’s Kulgam on Saturday afternoon.
An official said a group of militants was engaged in a gunfight in an orchard after it managed to break a cordon in Kulgam’s Katpora area around 5 p.m. “It was a brief gunfight in an orchard. Two bodies are lying on the ground,” said the official.
The operation was jointly carried out by the Army’s 34 Rashtriya Rifles (RR), the police’s Special Operation Group and CRPF.
Police sources said there was a tip off about the presence of a Al-Badr group in the area. “The group of militants was led by top commander Zeenat ul Islam Shah alias Dr. Usman,” said the police sources.
However, there is no official confirmation about Islam’s death. The second slain militant was believed to be Shakeel Ahmad Dar alias Faisal of Chilipora, Shopian.
Islam was earlier affiliated with the Hizbul Mujahideen outfit. He later joined Al Badr militant outfit. He was seen in many militant funerals offering gun salutes to the slain militants in 2018.
Islam, active since 2015, escaped from two major encounter sites in June and September in south Kashmir last year. An improvised explosive device expert, he emerged as one of the main recruiters of locals boys into militancy last year.
Meanwhile, the authorities snapped internet services in the Kulgam district as locals took to the streets to clash with security forces.
“Clashes have erupted in Kulgam where two militants were killed by security forces. Can only hope it doesn’t set off a cycle of protests followed by civilian killings. Precisely why I was adamant on extension of the ceasefire initiative by Government of India,” said former chief minister and People’s Democratic Party president Mehbooba Mufti.
