J&K: Wanted terrorist among 2 militants Killed in Kulgam encounter

Kulgam [Jammu and Kashmir], Jan 13 (ANI): Security forces achieved a major success in Kashmir as they killed  Zeenut-ul Islam, a dreaded and one of the most wanted terrorists, along with his associate Shakeel Ahmed Dar.

Islam, a top commander of Al-Badr who was active in terrororism for over a decade, was gunned down in an encounter at Kathopra in Kulgam district of Jammu and Kashmir. He was considered as an improvised explosive device (IED) expert.

"The killed terrorists have been identified as Zeenat-ul-Islam alias Zeenat alais Usman son of Ghulam Hassan Shah resident of Shopian and Shakeel Ahmad Dar son of Abdul Rasheed Dar resident of Chillipora Shopian," the statement issued by Jammu and Kashmir police said.

"Both the killed terrorists were affiliated with proscribed terror outfit Al-Badr and were wanted by the law for their complicity in a series of terror crimes including attack on security establishments and civilian atrocities," the statement read.

Zeenat-ul-Islam according to police records had a long history of terror crime records since 2006 when he got affiliated with Al-Badr and was later arrested. However after he was released, he again got recycled in 2016 and subsequently got affiliated with proscribed terror outfit HM and recently he joined  Al-Badr terror outfit in Shopian District. Consequently he became the chief of the said outfit.

Several terror crime cases were registered against him. He was also involved in a weapon snatching case at Tukroo Shopian.

Similarly Shakeel Ahmad Dar was also involved in terror related crimes as well.

A joint operation was launched on Saturday night by the Army, Police and CRPF in Kulgam after receiving specific information about the presence of terrorists there. As the security forces were conducting the searches, the terrorists fired upon them. The forces retaliated to the firing, ensuing an encounter in which the two terrorists were gunned down.

Weapons and other war-like stores have been recovered, officials said, adding that no collateral damage has been reported. All these materials have been taken in the case records for the purpose of investigation.

"Pertinently no collateral damage took place during the encounter. Bodies of the killed terrorists were handed over to their families after completion of medico-legal formalities," the statement by the Jammu and Kashmir police said.

The police also requested citizens not to venture inside the encounter zone "since such an area can prove dangerous due to stray explosive materials".

"People are requested to cooperate with police till the area is completely sanitised and cleared of all the explosive materials if any," the police said in its statement.

The operations have been concluded. (ANI)