Shopian encounter: Army man-turned-militant among two killed
Shopian: Two Hizb militants including an Army man-turned-militant were killed in a brief gunfight that raged between forces and militants in Safanagri village of South Kashmir’s Shopian district on Tuesday.
A police official told ‘Kashmir Vision’ that the forces launched a search operation in Safanagri village after receiving specific inputs about the presence of militants there.
As search was intensified, militants hiding fired upon the search party resulted in killing of two militants, he said, adding that the two militants were killed in the gunfight that continued for a brief period.
Locals said that they heard firing at around 3 am for hardly 5 minutes and in the morning they came to know about the killing of militants.
The militants who were killed in the gunfight today were identified as Idrees Ahmad Mir, son of Mohammad sultan Mir of Safanagri who had joined HM on 15th of April this year and Amir Hussian Rather, son of Muhammad Amin Rather of Awneera village of Shopian district.
Notably, one among the slain militants, Idrees had joined Jammu and Kashmir Light Infantry (JKLI) in 2013 and was posted in Bihar. However he went missing earlier this year and later surfaced among the militant ranks.
The family of Idrees has repeatedly urged him to come back but he turned down their pleas.
“We had never thought he will join militant ranks because he didn’t show such inclinations,” said his brother Shaheen Ahmad, adding that his decision of joining militants shocked them.
Idrees has two brothers, two younger sisters besides his parents.
Belonging to a family who have vast paddy fields and orchards, Idrees was killed barely 100 metres away from his house.
Father of Idrees is a government teacher however, he is visually impaired and has is presently undergoing treatment.
Meanwhile, the slain militants were laid to rest in their native villages after multiple funeral prayers.
Idrees was laid to rest amid pro-freedom, pro-militant and pro-Islamic slogans after five rounds of funeral prayers.
Eyewitnesses said that thousands of people including women and children participated in his last rites, despite restrictions imposed by the authorities in the area.
Aamir Hussian from Awneera Shopian was also laid to rest in his native village after three rounds funeral prayers.
Eyewitnesses said that thousands of people from different areas of South Kashmir participated in his last rites.
Belonging to a middle class family, Aamir has two brothers and a sister besides his patents.
Meanwhile, a complete shutdown was observed in Shopian and many parts of Pulwama district against the killing of the local militants.
As per witnesses, all shops and business establishments remained closed in the area while as traffic also remained off the roads.
Jahangeer Ganaie
