2 more ultras gunned down in Pulwama district

A Pakistani militant of Lashkar-e-Toiba (LeT) was killed in a brief shootout in the Hazratbal area here on Thursday while a search was under way for two others who managed to flee, the police said.

The trio tried to snatch weapons from the guard posted at the Hazratbal shrine on the banks of the famous Dal Lake. The shrine houses the relic of Prophet Mohammad.

Inspector General of Police (IGP), Kashmir, Vijay Kumar said one of the militants was a Pakistani and termed his killing a “big success”.

“We were monitoring him. His aim was to attack the shrine guard and snatch his weapon. He fired at the police party, which retaliated. In the firing, the Pakistani militant was killed,” Kumar told reporters outside the shrine complex.

The slain ultra was identified as Manzoor alias Haider alias Hamza. He was affiliated with proscribed outfit LeT, the IGP said. “He was an associate of top LeT/TRF commander Mehran. His killing is a big success,” he said.

Kumar said Manzoor was active in Srinagar for the past six months. He was involved in several killings. A video in which he talked about attacking senior officials had gone viral. On the two militants who fled, the IGP said, “We are tracking them. We hope to neutralise them soon.” Kumar said the militants were trying to use religious places to take shelter and stir emotions to create a law and order issue.

In a separate encounter, two Lashkar-e-Toiba (LeT) terrorists were killed in Pulwama district. Acting on specific inputs about the presence of terrorists in the Naina Batpora area of south Kashmir district, security forces launched a cordon and search operation there, a police official said.

The search operation turned into an encounter after the terrorists fired upon the forces, who retaliated. In the ensuing exchange of fire, the two terrorists were killed, the official said. — PTI

Terrorists injure bank guard in Pulwama

Srinagar: Militants shot at and injured a bank guard in Pulwama district on Thursday, officials said. “At about 3.55 pm, terrorists fired upon Jammu and Kashmir Bank guard posted at TP branch Murran Chowk Pulwama,” an official said. The guard has been identified as Abdul Hamid Wani, a resident of Tahab, the officials said. The injured is admitted to the Pulwama District Hospital and further details are awaited, they said.

Courtesy: The Tribune India: 10th March , 2022