By intercepting two Lashker-e-Toiba militants in Nowhatta area of Srinagar, a police party “aborted a major attack” in Srinagar ahead of the August 15 functions, official sources said on Monday.
A policeman was killed and at least one militant injured in the attack near Gani Memorial area of Rajouri Kadal falling within the jurisdiction of Police Station Nowhatta on Sunday evening.
Sources privy to the investigation told GNS that the militants before carrying out the “major attack contacted their handlers in Pakistan through social media and informed them about the attack.” TRF statement came prematurely about the attack, thinking the attack may have been executed.
As the two reached near the Gani Memorial Stadium, a police party was deployed in the area. “On finding them in suspicious manner, the police party stopped the duo. In-turn the militants opened fire which was retaliated by the police party as result of which one or both militants got injured and they fled away taking advantage of darkness and built up area,” they said, adding, “Later the blood trails were seen upto 400 meters pointing that militants are injured as well”. One of the policeman Constable Sarfaraz Ahmad, a resident of Batote Ramban also suffered serious injuries in the militant attack and was taken to hospital and he succumbed to the wounds today morning.
The militant duo also left scooty along with the Ak-74 rifle, two grenades, they said. “Some extra clothes, a helmet and other incriminating material.”
Regarding AK-74, it was learnt that this rifle is not available in India and is used for bigger attacks being easy to carry and can fire several rounds in few seconds.
“Investigations have revealed that the scooty which they had left behind was purchased few days ago from a person by an active militant Moomin Gulzar of Eidgah Srinagar,” they said. One Umer Mukhtar Naqeeb son of Bashir Ahmad of Natipora Srinagar has been arrested for providing the second-hand scooty to Momin Gulzar on July 27.
“The attack was being supervised by Moomin and also wanted TRF militant Basit of Kulgam,” they said.
The militants managed to escape by taking advantage of darkness and built up area they added. Police requested in a tweet asking “Public is informed not to extend logistics to militants, failing which law will take it own course. Further, public especially hospitals/clinics/doctors are requested to give information about any unknown person(s) coming for treatment as fleeing militant(s) are injured.”
The Police is working on all kind of leads and will arrest or eliminate soon it was conveyed by sources in security establishment (GNS)