A Jaish-e-Mohammed commander was killed on Wednesday in an encounter between militants and security forces in North Kashmir’s Sopore town, The Indian Express reported.
A cordon-and-search operation was launched by the joint forces in Arampora area of Sopore on Tuesday night after they received information regarding the presence of militants in the locality. Police said on Wednesday morning that they established contact with “two to four militants” present inside the house. In the ongoing operation, a militant identified as Sajjad Nawab Dar, was killed.
The Jammu and Kashmir Police confirmed the recovery of his body. “The killed terrorist threatened and intimidated peace loving citizens of Sopore and its peripheral areas,” the police tweeted. “He explored the opportunities to assault security forces and VIP rallies through his OGWs [over-ground-workers]. He motivated local youth for execution of grenade attacks against monetary benefits.”
The police added that Dar used modern “approaches of communication” with other recruits of the outfit. “He was well versed in handling different weapons like AK series rifles, pistol and hand grenade etc,” they said in a tweet. “He was involved in number of terror acts.”
Senior Superintendent of Police Javid Iqbal told the newspaper that Dar joined militancy two years ago and one security personnel also suffered minor injuries in the operation.
Meanwhile, dozens of locals gathered to participate in the funeral of slain militant and police registered a first information report against them for violating the lockdown in the wake of the coronavirus outbreak. “The legal heirs had given in writing to adhere to social distancing when we handed over his body to his family,” officers said, adding that a crowd soon gathered for the funeral.
“An FIR [was registered] under relevant sections against the persons who gathered at the funeral of JeM militant Sajad Nawab Dar killed in an encounter in Sopore for violating the Covid-19 protocol and government advisories regarding the social gathering,” the Sopore police said in a statement.
So far, ten militants have been killed in three encounters in the Valley since last week.
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