Top Hizbul commander killed in north Kashmir encounter
Militant killed after Infiltration bid foiled in Rajouri
Srinagar: A top Hizbul Mujahideen commander was killed in an encounter with security forces in north Kashmir’s Kupwara district on Wednesday, police said. Meanwhile, army foiled an infiltration bid in Rajouri district by killing one infiltrator.
“One of the oldest & top commander of HM #terror outfit Mehrazuddin Halwai @ Ubaid got neutralised in #Handwara #encounter. He was involved in several terror crimes. A big success,” Inspector General of Police, Kashmir zone, Vijay Kumar said in a tweet.
Security forces had launched a cordon-and-search operation at Pazipora-Renan in the Handwara area of the district Wednesday morning following information about the presence of militants there, the police said.
The operation turned into an encounter after the security forces were fired upon.
Halwai was killed in retaliatory action by the security personnel, the police added.
As per police records, the said militant was a categorized A++ militant and was group commander of militant outfit HM. He was active since 2012 and was involved in several killings in north Kashmir.
He had a long militant crime history including attacks on Police and security forces and civilian atrocities. He was part of group involved in various militant crimes and several cases were registered against him, police said.
He was involved in killing of SPO Mudasir Ahmad Dar of Untoo Hamam Sopore, attack on Sarpanch Khazir Mohammad Parray of Krankshivan, killing of Sarpanch Habib Ullah Mir of Goripora Bomai, attack on Panch Mst Zoona Begum of Hardshiva Sopore, attack on police party at Hygam Sopore along with his associates in which 04 policemen got killed besides, decamped with three weapons of the killed policemen, killing of Hurriyat activists Sheikh Altaf-ur-Rehman of Iqbal Nagar Sopore and Khursheed Ahamd Bhat of Bomai Sopore, killing of ex-terrorists mehraj-ud-Din Dar of Badambagh Sopore and Aijaz Ahmad Reshi of Mundji Sopore. Besides, he was involved in attacks on various establishments including attack on Hotel Heemal Srinagar, the police statement added.
The killed militant was well acquainted with modern means of communication by which he would communicate with other militants and plan and execute different militant activities on ground. He was instrumental in motivating and recruitment of youth into militant ranks besides was raising funds for promotion of militant activities, they said.
Meanwhile, Army claimed to have killed a militant after a infiltration bid was foiled in Naoshera sector of Rajouri district.
In a statement issued here a defense spokesman said that “In the early hours of 07 Jul 2021, a group of Pakistani militants made an attempt to infiltrate across the Line of Control in the Naoshera Sector, District Rajouri.
The spokesperson further stated that alert army troops thwarted the infiltration bid by suitably employing an integrated surveillance grid along with domination by fire, and engaging the militants in a fierce firefight in which one militant was neutralised and his body has been recovered.
Also, war like stores including an AK-47 rifle, four magazines of AK-47 with ammunition and two hand grenades have been recovered from the militant, they said.
This action by alert Army troops displays resolve of Indian Army to thwart any misadventure on the Line of Control, reads the statement.
