Junaid Ashraf Khan had left home for prayers at his house in Baghat locality, but soon his photos started to appear on social media brandishing a gun, announcing to the world he has joined Hizbul Mujahideen, one of the several Militant outfits in jammu Kashmir claiming to ‘fight the Indian aggression’.
Junaid’s elder brother Khalid, who works in Saudi Arabia and is also a Management graduate, lodged a missing persons complaint with Sadder Police Station in Srinagar in March, 2018, The family, however, made no overtures or appeals for Junaid (then a 26-year-old) to return back home, He was a management graduate and also worked for an e-commerce company.
An unverified photograph of him wearing an ammunition vest and holding an AK47 rifle had gone viral on Social media, minutes after it was released by an unknown source, Junaid, according to the picture, joined the HM outfit.
“Junaid was regularly called by the police who had lodged an FIR against him in a stone pelting incident. He was regularly asked to report to the police station Sadder and appeared in court hearings many a time,” sources in family. “We have received a complaint about the missing of Junaid Khan son of Ashraf Sehrai,” the Police had said.
He was accused of various weapon snatching bids and is believed to have escaped many cordons and near encounters, But on the dawn of Tuesday morning, an encounter broke out after Government forces cordoned off the after a top-off about the militant hideout. The firing started during a combing operation that followed last night. Two weapons and several rounds of ammunition were recovered from near the slain Militants.
Jammu and Kashmir Director General of Police Dilbag Singh confirmed the identity of the slain Militants as Junaid was wanted in multiple criminal cases.
He added that Junaid was a divisional commander of the Hizbul Mujahideen terrorist outfit. “Junaid was wanted in multiple criminal cases. He was the divisional commander of Hizbul Mujahideen and was looking after central Kashmir area as well. The other Militant (Tariq) who was killed had joined Hizbul Mujahideen in March” DGP Singh said.
Junaid Sehrai, who was killed in an encounter with security forces in Nawakadal area of old city Srinagar on Tuesday, was the son of Ashraf Sehrai, Tehreek-e-Hurriyat chief and successor of hardliner Syed Ali Geelani.
Junaid’s taking up arms was the first case of a son of a top-notch Hurriyat leader turning to Militant ranks in three-decade-old militancy in Kashmir. Originally hailing from north Kashmir’s frontier Kupwara district, the Sehrai family migrated to Srinagar in the 1990s and are putting up at posh uptown Bagahat locality.
Prior to joining militancy, Junaid had completed MBA from Kashmir University. His journey in the Hizb ranks began in March 2018, he is believed to have escaped cordons and encounters. Junaid Sehrai alias Zafar-ul-Islam was recently appointed deputy chief commander of Hizb-ul Mujahideen in Jammu and Kashmir after chief Riyaz Naikoo was killed in Pulwama on May 6. Sehrai was deputy to the new chief in Kashmir Valley, Dr Saifullah.
The Encounter
A Police Official confirming the encounter earlier had said that a gunfight had started between Militants and Government Forces in the area after Forces had launched a cordon and Search Operation following inputs about Militant presence in the area.
“The initial contact was established at around 2 am followed by a complete lull from 2:30 am to 9 am. Contact was re-established with the militants at 9 am again,” a Police official said. Immediately Mobile internet services and voice calling, messaging services were been snapped in Srinagar post a after a gunfight broke out in Nawa Kadal area of Srinagar.
The encounter raged in between Militants and Government Forces in Nawakadal area of Srinagar when Joint forces laid a siege around the area following specific inputs about militant movement in the area.
Amid massive blasts and drones hovering over the sky, the Forces killed two local Militants, believed to be an operative of Hizb ul Mujahideen, Three Government Force personnel were also injured and have been shifted to hospital for treatment.
Sources said that during as the gunfight raged locals from the surrounding localities armed with stones, and shouting slogans clashed with the Government Forces personnel, The Forces used tear smoke and pellets to disperse the protesters.
Sources informed The Kashmiriyat that a second militant who had earlier escaped from the encounter site, was also killed after a massive manhunt was launched to trace him
Meanwhile Sources said that, 15 residential structures ahve also been damaged in the exchange of firing between militants and the government forces.