HM commander Lateef ‘Tiger’ killed in Shopian encounter
‘Tiger’ was a close aide of Hizb Commander Burhan Wani
Srinagar: The Jammu and Kashmir Police achieved a breakthrough Friday after Lateef Dar alias ‘Lateef Tiger’, who was an associate of slain Hizbul commander Burhan Wani, was killed along with two other militants in an encounter in poll-bound Shopian district, officials said.
The encounter took place at the Imam Sahib area of the south Kashmir district following a cordon and search operation there in the early hours of Friday, they said.
Officials added that after a brief exchange of fire, the cordon was strengthened to prevent the militants from escaping.
“Three militants have been killed in the operation,” an official engaged in the operation said.
The killed militants included Lateef Tiger, who had joined militancy in 2014. He had been arrested and was subsequently out on bail.
He was supposed to appear before a district judge after completion of his bail but the accused failed to appear and later in October 2014, he was seen moving along side Hizbul Mujahideen militants.
The militant was accused of being involved in many killings, including that of sarpanchs in south Kashmir.
“He was one of the last surviving vintage model of militants. After his killing, the old guard of militants only include Riyaz Naikoo and Zakir Moosa,” the official said.
Lateef Tiger had been associated with Burhan Wani, the poster boy of Hizbul Mujahideen.
After Wani’s death in July 2016, he became a close aide of Naikoo, who is the operational commander of Hizbul Mujahideen at present.
Clashes between protestors and law enforcing personnel broke out near the encounter site after some people hurled stone at security forces engaged in the anti-militancy operation, the officials said.
They said two persons suffered minor pellet injuries in the security forces’ action to chase away the miscreants.
Meanwhile, a police spokesman said that the three slain militants have been identified as Lateef Ahmad Dar alias Tiger of Dogripora Pulwama, Tariq Ahmad Sheikh alias Mufti Waqas of Moolu Chitragam Shopian and Shariq Ahmad Nengroo of Chotigam Shopian.
According to the Police records, all the three were affiliated with the Hizbul and were wanted by law for their complicity in a series of terror crimes including attacks on security establishments and civilian atrocities.
As per Police records, Lateef had a long history of terror crime records since 2014 and was involved in planning and executing several terror attacks in the area. Several crime cases were registered against him, the spokesman said.
Similarly, Tariq also had a long history of terror crime records and was involved in several attacks. Several terror crime cases were registered against him. He was part of groups involved in planning and executing terror attacks on the security establishments in the area. He was instrumental in luring youth to join the organisations. Moreover, he was also involved in several weapon snatching cases reported from the area. Shariq was also involved in several attacks, the spokesman added.
Incriminating material including arms and ammunition were recovered from the site of encounter. Police has registered a case. All these incriminating materials have been taken in case records to probe their complicity in other crimes, said the spokesman.
KV News
