The residents of Sedow- a remote area in south Kashmir’s Shopian district on Monday hit the streets alleging that a local resident Showkat who Police claimed had been killed during an encounter in Kupwara, had been arrested earlier this month by Shopian Police, News 18 reported.
On Sunday, the Jammu Kashmir Police said that Showkat Ahmed Sheikh, during Police custody led them to a hideout in Lolab area of north Kashmir’s Kupwara district.
In a series of tweets, Jammu Kashmir Police informed of the developments in the encounter in Lolab Kupwara.
#KupwaraPolice launched a joint anti-terrorist #operation alongwith Army's 28RR on the disclosure of an arrested #terrorist Showket Ahmed Sheikh in Lolab area of #Kupwara.
(1/2)— Kashmir Zone Police (@KashmirPolice) June 19, 2022
“During search of hideouts, hiding #terrorists fired upon joint search parties and our team also retaliated, in which one #terrorist got killed. The arrested terrorist also got trapped. #Encounter in progress. Further details shall follow,” the Police said in another tweet.
#KupwaraEncounterUpdate: Killed #terrorist has been identified as a #Pakistani, linked with proscribed #terror outfit LeT. 2-3 more #terrorists alongwith arrested terrorist trapped in ongoing #encounter: IGP Kashmir@JmuKmrPolice https://t.co/FTbpGgoIVS
— Kashmir Zone Police (@KashmirPolice) June 19, 2022
“#KupwaraEncounterUpdate: 02 more #terrorists including #terrorist Showkat got #neutralised (total 04). #Incriminating materials, arms & ammunition recovered. Search going on. Further details shall follow.@JmuKmrPolice, “Police said in its next tweet.
Early on Monday, Police said that four militants including Showkat Ahmad Sheikh, were killed in an encounter in Lolab area of Kupwara. They said the other three militants — Bambar Khan, Al-Bakash, and Aftab Bhai, all residents of Pakistan and part of outfit Lashkar-e-Taiba.
When the news about Showkat’s killing reached his native, people in large numbers hit the streets demanding an investigatio into the incident. “Police dispersed the demonstrators as they tried to march towards Shopian and were stopped at Chotipora village. A few smoke shells were fired into the crowd,” News 18 report added.
Showkat’s family members, as per a video asked how could it be that Showkat was killed in an encounter in Kupwara when police had arrested him from Shopian on June 7.
The Jammu Kashmir Police on June 07 had stated that on June 2, an IED blast took place in a private vehicle hired by Indian Army’s 15 Garwal COB Sedow for an anti-militancy operation. The blast caused grievous injuries to three Army personnel on board, one of them succumbed to his injuries later.
Police had also said that on basis of technical leads and other evidence, the role of two— Showkat Ahmed Sheikh, son of Abdul Ahad, and Pervaz Ahmed Lone, son of Nazir Ahmed, both residents of Sedow. They were arrested subsequently, the report said.
The Police said, “Incriminating material, including electronic items used in executing the blast, was recovered. Investigations also revealed that the entire conspiracy was hatched by Abid Ramzan Sheikh, an active terrorist of the LeT.”
Meanwhile the Inspector General of Jammu Kashmir Police Vijay Kumar said in a tweet, “By targeting innocent civilians including women & kids, unarmed policemen & outside labourers, terrorists can’t deter our efforts to bring peace in valley. Our counter-militancy operations will continue simultaneously in all 3 regions specially against foreign militants.”
He also said that the security forces had killed 114 militants, of which 33 were foreigners.