Fayaz Wani By

Express News Service

SRINAGAR: A day after a Lashkar-e-Toiba militant surrendered during a gunfight, a militant of Hizbul Mujahideen on Monday surrendered before the security forces during an encounter in south Kashmir’s Kulgam district in which two of his associates were killed.

A police official said police, CRPF and army launched a joint cordon and search operation in Khudwani area of south Kashmir’s Kulgam district early this morning to flush out the militants hiding there.

He said after plugging of all the escape routes, the house where Hizb militants were hiding was cordoned and encircled.

“The militant were asked to surrender and announcements were made through public address systems. One of the three militants trapped in the building agreed to surrender. He was told that nobody would fire at him if he surrenders and lays down arms,” the official said.

He said the militant identified as Arif Ahmad Sofi came out of the building and surrendered before the security agencies.

After his surrender, he was whisked away by police to a nearby police camp, where security officials were interrogating him.

Yesterday, also a Lashkar militant had surrendered during a gunfight in Shopan.

The official said after surrender of HM militant, two other militants hiding in the building attempted to escape from the spot by firing indiscriminately on the security forces. “The fire was returned by the troops and in the ensuing encounter, both militants were killed”.

The slain militants were identified as Dawood Ahmad Allaie and Sayar Ahmad Wani, both locals.

The police official said slain militants were involved in killing of Sarpanch, weapon snatching from a police guard, instigating youth to pelt stones, bank robbery and threatening families of police personnel.

Meanwhile, General Officer Commanding (GoC) Victor Force B S Raju, Inspector General Central Reserve Police Force (Operations) south Kashmir Zulfikar Hassan and Inspector General of Police Kashmir Munir Ahmad Khan addressed a joint press conference at Police Control Room, here and appealed local militants to surrender and lay down weapons.

“The youth, who have joined militancy, should surrender. We will receive them with open arms. It is not necessary that the militants will surrender during the encounters. They can surrender any time and join the mainstream,” IGP Kashmir Muneer Khan said.

He said any militant who is arrested or surrenders would be rehabilitated if he has not committed heinous offences.

“If the militant, who surrenders or is arrested, is not involved in any heinous crime, we will rehabilitate him and help him join the mainstream,” Khan said.

IG CRPF said the security forces would assure a safe passage and a good life to those militants, who surrender before the authorities.