- Thousands join funeral prayers; Comrades give gun salute; Hizb pays tributes
- They were brain behind Wednesday’ grenade attack on police party
Police on Thursday said two Hizbul Mujahideen militants were killed in a gunfight in Sopore area of North Kashmir’s Baramulla district.
The duo, according to police, were motivators of two militants, who were arrested last evening after attacking a police patrol with a grenade in Sopore injuring four policemen.
A police spokesman on a tip-off about presence of two Hizbul Mujahideen militants that Aijaz Mir and Basharat Ahmad Sheikh, a search operation was launched in Mir-Mohalla Nathipora Sopore and house of one Khazir Mohammad Mir encircled.
He said house was cordoned off by joint parties of Sopore Police, 22-RR, CRPF 92, 177 & 179 Bn’s and North Range QRT at around 02:45 am.
The spokesman said during search operation, militants fired upon the troops and in retaliation both the militants were killed.
“2 AK-47 rifles, 5 AK47- Magazines and 2 pouchs were recovered from their possession and Case FIR No. 47/2017 U/S 307 RPC 7/27 A. Act registered in Police Station Bomai,” the spokesman said.
He said the slain militants had joined HM on 14-03-2016 and 30-06-2016 respectively. “Both the militants were wanted in Case FIR No. 128/2016 U/S 307, 302 RPC, 07/27 A. Act of Police Station Dangiwacha”.
The spokesman said Aijaz was also earlier booked in a murder Case of Case FIR No. 95/2014 of Police Station Sopore. “He was on bail while Basharat had gone to Pakistan for training last year.”
He said the duo were motivators and commanders of two militants, who were arrested last evening after attacking a police patrol with a grenade in Sopore injuring four policemen.
“After unknown militants lobbed a grenade on police deployment near Treasury office (TP Bank) in Sopore yesterday injuring 4 policemen, police had started investigation into the case to identity and arrest the militants,” he said.
He said during investigation it was learnt that two new recruited HM militants namely Mehraj-Ud-Din Mir son of Khazir Mohammad Mir and Mohammad Rafiq Lone alias Rafi son of Ghulam Mohammad Lone, residents of Nathipora Sopore were involved in the grenade attack.
“The duo were identified from the CCTV footage and arrested during the night,” he said adding it was learnt that the new recruits were motivated by HM Commander Aijaz Mir and Basharat Ahmad Sheikh of to join the militancy and intensify attacks on police and forces.
Shutdown, Funeral
As the news of killing of two militants spread in Sopore areas, shopkeepers closed their establishments and observed a complete shutdown.
Meanwhile, thousands of people including men and women participated in the funeral procession of the slain militants in their native villages amid pro-freedom sloganeering.
In Brathkalan, some militants appeared during the funeral of Aijaz Ahmad Mir and fired several rounds in the air as a mark of respect.
Following the militant killings, authorities in north Kashmir suspended mobile services. “Only government-owned BSNL service was operational,” locals said.
Hizb Pays Tributes
Meanwhile, paying rich tributes to its two militants killed in Sopore encounter, Hizbul Mujahideen on Thursday said the militants have been “playing a key role in lifting up the spirits of pro-freedom people of Kashmir.”
Local news gathering agency CNS quoted Hizb’s operational spokesperson Burhanuddin as saying: “Our militants have been heading successfully towards the destination. We are really indebted to these daring and brave soldiers who sacrifice their lives for our bright tomorrow.”
“Glorious tributes were also paid to these slain militants by Hizb Deputy Chief Saifullah Khalid and Operational Field Commander Mehmood Ghaznavi and congregational prayers too were offered for them, during a meeting,” the CNS quoted Burhanuddin as saying.
