Top JeM militant, associate killed in Shopian
Srinagar: Two militants, including a top Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM) commander from Pakistan responsible for a car blast last month that claimed the lives of two Army jawans, were killed on Saturday in an encounter with security forces in south Kashmir’s Shopian district, police said.
Munna Lahori, a Pakistani national, was also responsible for a series of civilian killings in Kashmir, a police official said.
The second militant, identified as Mir Zeenat-Ul-Islam of Turkawanghom Shopian, belonged to Hizbul Mujahideen (HM) outfit, the official said.
Lahori, also known as Bihari, had been used by Pakistan-based JeM for the recruitment of militants in the Kashmir valley, the official added.
He was known for making Improvised Explosive Devices (IED’s).
Lahori was responsible for a car blast attack on a security forces’ convoy on March 30 at Banihal and “a fatal car blast on an Army vehicle at Arihal in Pulwahma on June 17, in which two soldiers were killed and nine others including two civilians were injured”, the official said.
He said Zeenat-Ul-Islam was part of groups involved in various militant activities. Several cases were registered against him, including a case pertaining to abduction and killing of civilian Irfan Hameed of Zainapora.
A school dropout Zeenat who belongs to a middle class family was working as a painter and is survived by one brother and one sister besides his parents.
Eyewitness said that he was laid to raid after multiple rounds of funeral prayers in presence of thousands of people in his native village amid massive pro freedom and pro militant sloganeering.
Meanwhile, soon after news of encounter broke out in the area, youth took to streets and started pelting stones on government forces, which was retaliated by smoking tear smoke and sound shells.
Eyewitnesses said that several youth got injured during the clashes.
In wake of gunfight internet services were snapped in Shopian district and a complete shutdown was observed in the area against the militant killing.
Pertinently, security forces had launched a cordon and search operation in Banday Mohalla in Bonbazar area of Shopian Friday night, following a tip-off about the presence of militants there.
The search operation turned into an encounter after the militants opened fire, leading to their killing, he said, adding that incriminating material including arms and ammunition were recovered from the site of the gunfight.
