3 militants shot dead over policeman’s killing

Constable from Kulgam was abducted and killed on Saturday

Residents check a house damaged during a gunfight between militants and security forces in Kulgam district, south of Srinagar on July 22, 2018.

Three militants, suspected of kidnapping and killing a constable on Saturday, were gunned down on Sunday.

A police official described the killing as “a significant breakthrough ” in the case of the abduction and killing of Mohammad Saleem of Kulgam, who was abducted on Saturday night. His body was later found in an orchard.

The police said the Army, the CRPF and the police launched an operation after inputs about the presence of the militants in a cluster of houses. “The killed militants were identified as Muawiya of Pakistani origin, Suhail Ahmad Dar of Redwani Balaa and Mudassir Wani alias Rehaan of Katarsoo,” said the police. The three were affiliated to the LeT and Hizbul Mujahideen, police said.

The three were affiliated to the Lashkar-e-Taiba and the Hizbul Mujahideen, the police said.

“Mauwiya’s involvement was established in a number of civilian killings. A probe is on to ascertain the complicity of the other co-conspirators. Arms and ammunition, including two AK 47 rifles and a carbine, have also been recovered from the site of encounter,” said the police. Local residents said two houses were damaged in the operation.

The killing of Saleem was the third such incident in the past two months. Constable Javid Ahmad Dar was kidnapped and killed by suspected militants in the first week of July, while on June 14, militants abducted and killed an Army jawan, Aurangzeb from Pulwama.

The killing of Saleem sparked off protests in Kulgam. Train services were stopped in south Kashmir after the incident and Internet services suspended for the day.