February 20, 2020 00:00:00 | Javid Ahmad

23 militants killed in 10 anti-militancy ops in JK in 2020: DGP

Three militants of Hizbul Mujahideen including its commander were killed in a gunfight with forces in Tral area of South Kashmir’s Pulwama district on Wednesday.

A Cordon and Search Operation was launched by forces at Sherabad village in Tral after receiving intelligence about presence of militants there, a police officer said.

He said as forces were zeroing-in on the target location, militants fired on forces who retaliated triggering an exchange of gunfire during which three militants were killed.

The deceased militants were identified as Jehangir Ahmad Wani alias Umar Mukhtar of Ameerabad Tral, Raja Umar Maqbool of LurgamTral and Sadat Ahmad Thoker of WaghamaBijbehara in Anantnag district.

Director General of Police, Dilbag Singh said the trio was affiliated with Hizb and Jehangir was made commander of the outfit after the killing of his predecessor Hamaad Khan.

Addressing a news conference here, Singh said Jehangir was involved in eight militancy incidents including killing of two civilians—Mehraj-u-din Zargar and Ghulam Nabi Mir of Tral—besides setting on fire a chemist’s shop and a truck and pasting threat posters after August 5.

“Large quantity of arms and ammunition was recovered from them,” he said.

The police chief said 23 militants were killed -- 19 of them in Kashmir and four in Jammu region -- in 10 anti-militancy operations this year.

“There was no collateral damage in any operation in the valley,” he said.

He said 40 Over Ground Workers, the support structure of militants, have been arrested this year while eight youth who had left homes to join militant ranks have returned and were re-united with their families.

“The number of youth joining militant ranks was low and it is good trend,” he said.

The DGP said the situation in the Valley was normal while situation along the Line of Control (LoC) was hot as ceasefire violations from Pakistan were on from some time and there has seen a rise compared to earlier.

On Tuesday, a Pakistani drone flied over a BSF picket for around 12 minutes before a firing from BSF men, deployed along the LoC in Gagwalatea of Kathua, pushed it back.

Singh said Pakistan was aiming at keeping the LoC and the International Border hot to push militants into this side. “Large number of militants were awaiting at launchpads across the LoC to infiltrate into this side”.

He said the launch pads, which used to remain empty in winter during past years, remained active this winter especially on the opposite of Karnah, Keran and areas in Kupwara and Baramulla.

“The aim of keeping launchpads active is to push militancy into this side through LoC or IB whenever chance if found there,” Singh said.