The militant killed in the overnight encounter in the Binner area of north Kashmir’s Baramulla district has been identified as a local resident of the Pattan area, who was associated with the Lashkar e Taiba militant outfit.
A senior police officer told that the joint forces including the Indian Army, Jammu Kashmir Police and CRPF had laid a cordon and search operation in the Binner area of Baramulla, during which the militant fired upon the force, which led to an encounter.
During the encounter, one militant was killed who has been identified as Irshad Ahmed Bhat son of Fayaz Ahmed Bhat, a resident of Pattan area in Baramulla, who had gone missing the month of May 2022.
#BaramullaEncounterUpdate: Killed #terrorist has been identified as Irshad Ahmd Bhat of Pattan #Baramulla, active since 5/2022 & linked with proscribed #terror outfit LeT. 01 AK rifle, 2 magazines & 30 rounds recovered.@JmuKmrPolice https://t.co/pfY7V7Uywn
— Kashmir Zone Police (@KashmirPolice) July 31, 2022
The Jammu Kashmir Police said that one AK 47 rifle, 2 magazines and thirty rounds were recovered from the possession of the slain militant.
Pertinently Fayaz Ahmed Bhat, Irshad’s father was a commander of Hizb ul Mujahideen, who was killed by unknown gunmen in the year 2015. On 19 September 2015, the bullet-riddled body of Fayaz Ahmad Bhat, resident of Vailoo (Pattan), was recovered in Devbugh village near Tangmarg town in Baramulla. He was active for more than six years.
Irshad was arrested in the February 2017 for being a Hizb ul Mujahideen associate and was also accused of killing a local named Zakir Hussain Badoo whose body was found lying on the road in Mehmoodpora Pattan on 9th of January 2016.
The police had said that Irshad was active militant of Hizb-ul-Mujahideen militant outfit who had joined militant ranks after killing of his militant father, Fayaz Ahmad Bhat, in inter-gang rivalry in year 2015.
He was recently released from the Jail after being arrested in 2017. However, he went missing in May 2022 leaving behind his mother and two brothers.