Three Lashkar-e-Toiba (LeT) militants, involved in the recent killing of a sarpanch in Khonmoh, were killed in an encounter with security forces on the outskirts of the city here today, the police said.

The security forces launched a cordon and search operation in Nowgam area early this morning after receiving specific inputs about the presence of militants, a police official said.

The operation turned into an encounter after the hiding militants fired upon the forces, who retaliated. “They have been identified as Adil Teli and Saqib Tantray from Shopian. The third one most probably is Umer Teli. We have called his family for identification. All three were local terrorists of LeT,” Vijay Kumar, Inspector General of Police (IGP), Kashmir, said.

An AK-47 and two pistols were recovered from the encounter site. The three men were involved in the killing of a sarpanch in Khonmoh on March 9, the IGP said. They used to carry out attacks on Panchayati Raj Institution members and protected persons. “Their killing is a huge success for the police. We have busted all modules involved in the recent killings of sarpanches, CRPF personnel etc, including a Territorial Army soldier of Budgam,” he stated.

“Pakistan does not want democratic process or development to continue, so they are targeting panches and sarpanches. But we are giving them a befitting reply. We are identifying them, arresting them or neutralising them in encounters,” Kumar added.

The police spokesperson said Teli, along with his associates, was also involved in the killing of Inspector Pervaiz Ahmad Dar at Menganwari Nowgam in June last year and in the killing of Javaid Ahmed Malik at Lurgam Tral. Besides, he was involved in a grenade attack on a joint party of police and the CRPF at Barbarshah in Srinagar, in which one civilian was killed and three were injured.

Tantray and Wagay were involved in several terror crime cases, including the killing of ASI Mohammad Ashraf near the Bijbehara police station in Anantnag in December last year.

Incriminating materials, arms and ammunition, including an AK rifle, three AK magazines, 14 AK rounds, two pistols, four pistol magazines and six pistol rounds, were seized from the site of the encounter. All the seized materials have been taken into case records for further investigation. — PTI

Ammonium nitrate used in IED blast: Agencies

• Intelligence agencies have stated that ammonium nitrate was used in the blast at Udhampur court complex on March 9.
• One person was killed and over 15 were injured in the incident. Sources said use of ammonium nitrate suggested that it was a work of some little-known terror organisation.

Courtesy: The Tribune India: 16th March , 2022