Three Militants have been killed during an encounter in the Nowgam area of Shahbad Dooru in South Kashmir’s Anantnag district, Officials said on Thursday.
The SSP of Anantnag, Ashish Kumar Mishra addressing the press said that on Wednesday afternoon said that 19 RR of Indian Army, Jammu Kashmir Police and CRPF launched a joint operation in the area, following a tip-off about Militant movement in the area.
Immediately after the cordon was laid, the civilians were evacuated from the area, during which militants opened fire upon forces.
“During the exchange of gunfire, three militants were killed, while as three cops received injuries. One Army man of 19 RR was also killed during the encounter,” the officials said.
The officials identified the slain militants as Nisar Ahmed Khanday, Mufti Altaf and a Pakistani militant.
Nisar Ahmed Khanday had joined the militant organization Hizb ul Mujahideen in the 2000s. He rejoined the militancy in 2018 and was believed to be active in the Dooru Shahabad area with the Jaish e Muhammad outfit.
Nisar was a resident of Dooru area in Anantnag and was involved in several militant attacks including the killing of BJP leaders in October 2020 in Anantnag.
Mufti Altaf, who according to the forces was the chief of Kashmir tigers has also been killed during the encounter.
The Jammu Kashmir Police on December 12 claimed that ‘Kashmir Tigers’ was behind the attack on the Government Force personnel in the Zewan area of Srinagar, that left three cops dead and eleven others injured.
The attack in Zewan is one of the biggest attacks carried out on Government forces after the abrogation of Article 370.
Peer Mufti Altaf Hussain Shah, father of two minor girls from the Peerpora area of Nathipora in Dooru area of South Kashmir’s Islamabad (anantnag) district, according to his family has been missing since August 08 2020.
Family members speaking to The Kashmiriyat said that Altaf who is a son of Ghulam Mohammed Shah Peerpora Nathipora Dooru ran a Madrasa in Verinag, Anantnag.
“He left home for Maghrib prayers, his family including two minor daughters, a wife have been in a complete state of distress since then,” a family member said.
The SSP of Anantnag, however, had said that Altaf had been assisting the cadres of Jaish much before he joined militancy.
He said that the dead bodies of the three have been recovered and one M-4 carbine, eight magazines, two AK 47 rifles and other ammunition were recovered from slain militants.