HT Correspondent

letterschd@hindustantimes.com

Srinagar : Three Hizbul Mujahideen militants, including a police deserter and a top-ranking commander, were killed in a gunfight with security forces in Shopian district of Jammu and Kashmir on Monday.

Terming the killing of the three militants a major success, director general of police (DGP) Dilbag Singh said Hizbul Mujahideen is on the “verge of elimination” in south Kashmir.

Security forces launched a cordon and search operation in Wacchi area of Shopian following information about presence of militants there, said the DGP. He said the militants were asked to surrender but they chose to open fire towards security forces’ positions.

“In the ensuing encounter, three militants, including Hizb commander Waseem Ahmad Wani, were killed,” he added.

“Waseem was involved in many terrorist acts since 2017. There are 19 FIR against him and in four cases he has been involved in killing of eight persons including four civilians and four police guards,” he said.

The DGP identified the other two militants as Adil Bashir Sheikh and Jehangir. Adil, a special police officer, had deserted the force in 2018.

He had decamped with seven AK assault rifles and a pistol from the official residence of then Wachi MLA Aijaz Ahmad Mir from Jawahar Nagar area in Srinagar.

“Adil was also involved in civilians’ killings along with Wani. Jehangir was also active from 2017,” he said. “The wiping out of this group in Shopian belt will reduce the fear they had created in the minds of the people for the past some time,” said Dilbag Singh.

“This is the fourth gunfight encounter in Kashmir since January 1. Already, eight Hizbul militants have been eliminated. Three of the encounters took place in south Kashmir’s Pulwama and Shopian,” said the DGP.

The operations have been successful due to increased movement of security forces following leads provided by militants arrested along with DSP Davinder Singh on January 11, he added.