Srinagar: Two separatist militants — considered one of them probably a Pakistani nationwide — who have been allegedly working a “hi-tech” hideout in a industrial constructing in Srinagar’s Hyderpora space have been killed in an encounter with the safety forces in a single day.
Two civilians, together with a dental surgeon and a dealer, have been additionally killed through the conflict. Whereas the police on Tuesday insisted that the civilians had been caught in a crossfire, their households alleged that they have been used as “human shields” by the safety forces.
The police introduced it had arrange a Particular Investigation Staff (SIT) to probe the modus operandi within the working of the “hi-tech” hideout and the circumstances resulting in the killing of civilians.
IGP (Kashmir Vary) Vijay Kumar expressed remorse over the civilians’ killings, however added that “as per our supply and digital proof” considered one of them was a “top-ranking overground employee” of the militants and the opposite was apparently harbouring them.
He stated one of many slain militants was reportedly a Pakistani nationwide who alongside along with his affiliate (who’s but to be recognized) was working the “hi-tech” hideout within the constructing owned by businessman Muhammad Altaf Bhat, who’s among the many two civilians killed within the operation.
“One of many terrorists killed within the operation has been recognized as Bilal Bhai. Some name him Hyder. He was in all probability a Pakistani terrorist and the opposite is a neighborhood terrorist, likely from Ramban Gool (space of J&Okay),” the IGP advised reporters right here.
He stated: “It’s not clear whether or not terrorists’ bullets or these fired by the safety forces hit the constructing proprietor. Terrorists have been carrying pistols and it could be clear after investigations as to whose bullet hit him,” he stated. He added: “As far Mudassir Gul, he was a top-ranking OGW, concerned deeply in militancy. He was deceptively doing a little enterprise however within the garb of it working a terrorist module. He would convey terrorists from south and north Kashmir to his residence (in Srinagar) from the place they might function,” he alleged.
The IGP added: “He died within the crossfire, we remorse it. If we needed, we may have saved him. We tried our greatest, however it was troublesome to avoid wasting him for the firing from each the perimeters was on.”
Gul’s household strongly denied the police allegations and insisted that he was an harmless civilian murdered in “chilly blood”. His sister Sabreena stated: “He was harmless. He had no hyperlinks in any respect with militants. We now simply need his lifeless physique, nothing else. We have now been devastated.” The household held an illustration at Srinagar’s Mushtaq Press Enclave on Tuesday, demanding his corpse in order that it may give it a correct burial as per native customs and Islamic custom. “Let his two small youngsters be allowed to have one final glimpse of their father,” Gul’s mom pleaded.
Bhat’s daughter Naifah Altaf additionally stated: “Mujhe mere Papa ki mayat chahye (I need my father’s physique). We’re two sisters and a brother who may be very younger. What is going to we inform him if he asks us about Papa?”
Mr Kumar stated since there have been some fears of legislation and order issues, the police determined to not hand over the our bodies of the civilians to their households. “We had established contact with the households of Altaf and Mudassir final evening and requested them to attend their burial. As we had had apprehension of a law-and-order state of affairs, we took the our bodies to district Handwara and buried them there this morning,” he stated.
The IGP stated a Particular Investigation Staff (SIT) to be headed by a DIG- rank officer will probe the modus-operandi of the “hi-tech” hideout. “It can additionally get into the main points of whether or not the terrorists have been in contact with any overseas nation. The group can even look into the sequence of occasions that led to the killing of the constructing proprietor and terrorist affiliate,” he stated. Requested if it was true — as reported by some TV channels – that the cellphones and computer systems recovered from the encounter web site had information pointing to the militants’ hyperlinks with overseas nations, together with america, the IGP stated it was a matter of investigation and as soon as the complete particulars have been accessible, these could be shared with the media.
After the bloody conflict which continued all through the evening, tensions have mounted in Srinagar the place lots of of Central armed police and paramilitary reinforcements fanned out earlier this month for a stepped-up tight safety bandobast after a sequence of focused killings and different violent acts blamed on separatist militants by the authorities.
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