Srinagar: Four persons including a foreign militant, his local associate, an ‘OGW’ and a building owner were killed in Hyderpora, Srinagar encounter, police said Tuesday.
The police, however, said that the building owner was killed in a “cross fire” while the fourth person was an OGW who had provided his rented space to Haider for using the same as “militant hideout.”
Addressing a press conference at Police Control Room (PCR) Srinagar, Inspector General of Police (IGP) Kashmir zone Vijay Kumar said that yesterday evening, police received a lead about the presence of militants near national highway at Hyderpora. “Police, CRPF and the army laid a cordon and when the suspected spot was zeroed in, militants fired indiscriminately at the forces,” the IGP said as per news agency—Kashmir News Observer (KNO).
He said that in the ensuing gunfight, two militants including a foreign militant identified as Haider and his local associate possibly from Banihal area of Jammu were killed. “We have called a family from Banihal to identify the slain,” the IGP said.
He said that the building owner Altaf Ahmed was killed in a cross fire. “It is not sure whether militant bullet or the bullets fired by forces hit him. Militants were carrying pistols and it would be clear after investigations whose bullet hit him,” the Kashmir police chief said.
He said the fourth one Mudasir Ahmed, who was living on a rent in the building, had provided shelter to Haider and his associate. “This way he was harbouring militants. Mudasir was also involved in ferrying Haider from the recent attack site of Jamalata Srinagar where a police man was injured,” the IGP said, he was also involved in ferrying militants from South and North Kashmir areas.
He said that from the encounter site, two pistols, two magazines, half-a-dozen mobile phones and a few computers were recovered. “Fourth slain Mudasir was also running a call centre. This way, he was an OGW and was directly involved in harbouring militants,” IGP Kumar said. He said since there was an apprehension of law and order, bodies of Altaf Ahmed were not handed over to family for last rites.
He said that before giving rooms or building on a rent, owners should get in touch with police and share details of tenets. Asked whether police had clear evidence of Mudasir being involved in “harbouring militants”, the IGP said that they had digital evidence and once they will get further proof, same will be shared with media.
POLICE STATEMENT: A police spokesman in a statement to KNO said that on a specific input generated by Police regarding presence of militant in an illegal call centre in a private building in Hyderpora area of Srinagar, a joint cordon and search operation was launched by Police, 2RR & CRPF in the area.
“In order to show the suspect call centre in the building, owner of the building namely Altaf Ahmad as well as the tenant namely Mudasir Ahmad were also called to accompany the search party. As the search party approached towards a room in top floor of the building, the hiding militants started firing indiscriminately towards the party which was retaliated,” the statement said. “However, in the initial exchange of fire, both the individuals accompanying search party received critical gunshot injuries and succumbed to their injuries. In the ensuing encounter, both the militants hiding in the room were eliminated and their bodies were retrieved from the site of encounter.”
The spokesman said that militant have been identified as Haider alias Bilal Bhai (a foreign Pakistani militant) and his associate Amir Ahmad, a resident of Banihal (a hybrid militant) who was working earlier as an OGW of LeT Commander.
“Preliminary investigation revealed that the killed Mudasir Ahmad was living on rent in the said building and was working as a militant associate and also running an illegal call centre,”.
. Incriminating materials, arms and ammunition including 02 pistols, 03 magazines, 06 mobile phones, 01 call centre (06 cabins along with 06 computers, 06 CPUs working network, VOIP enabled) various virtual numbers of foreign numbers, dairies with alpha, beta, gamma codes, 01 US map, cabins and other equipment were recovered from the site of the encounter. Besides, a hideout of terrorists with warm clothes, snow boots, kitchen equipment, food packets, TV and other necessary equipment like drug bottles, cigarette packets and 04 mobile phones were also recovered.
The recoveries and other digital evidences indicated that a fake call centre was established to provide logistic support to the active militants, the spokesman said.
“Investigations also revealed that the killed foreign militant Haider was involved in the recent brief shoot out at Jamalatta area of Srinagar and terrorist associate Mudasir Ahmad facilitated his escape from said spot to this rented location in an Alto-800 car,” the statement said.
“Keeping in view the law and order scenario, all the bodies of the killed militants, associate and building owner have been sent to Handwara for burial purposes after completion of all medico-legal formalities. Police have registered case under relevant sections of law and further investigation from all the angles have been initiated,” the police statement said—(KNO)
