2 LeT militants killed in Kashmir’s Pulwama

Two militants affiliated with Lashkar-e-Toiba (LeT) outfit were killed in a gunfight with security forces in Awantipora area of south Kashmir’s Pulwama district on Friday.

Reports said the gunfight broke out after a joint team of Army’s Rashtriya Rifles and special operations group (SOG) of Jammu and Kashmir Police launched a cordon-and-search-operation (CASO) in Braw Bandina area of Awantipora 30 kms from here, following ‘specific inputs’ about the presence of militants in the area.

As the forces zeroed towards the suspected spot, hiding militants fired upon forces triggering an encounter in which two ultras were killed, they said.

Police identified the slain militants as Irfan Degu @Abu Zarar and Tasaduk Amin Shah, both locals affiliated with proscribed outfit LeT and wanted by law for their complicity in attacks on security establishments and civilian.

According to police Irfan was involved in case FIR No 35 of 2018 pertaining to attack on security forces in Ellahibagh, Pulwama in which one jawan had died. Tasaduk as per the police records was involved in Case FIR No 27/2019 of PS Pantha Chowk pertaining to killing of a civilian.

112 militants of various groups and 64 force personnel have been killed in militancy violence in the Valley this year. According to official figures, 101 militants were killed from January 1 till May 31, which is higher than the corresponding period of 2018 when 71 militants were killed.

At least 64 force personnel were also killed in the militancy violence in the Valley in from January to May. Of 59 killings of forces men, highest 49 belonged to paramilitary CRPF, nine Army men and six policemen.

However, despite the killing of over 110 militants, around 275 militants are still active in the valley. J&K Director General of Police (DGP) Dilbag Singh recently said about 275 militants were active in the Valley and of them, 100 to 115 were locals and remaining foreign militants.