Excelsior Correspondent
SRINAGAR, Nov 20: A district commander of Hizbul Mujahideen was killed in an encounter in Kulgam today while security forces busted a sleeper cell of militants and arrested five militant associates of Lashkar-e-Toiba from Pulwama.
Inspector General of Police, Vijay Kumar, said here that newly appointed district commander of Hizbul Mujahideen, Mudasir Wagay, son of Jamal Wagay resident of Malwan Kulgam was killed at Ashmuji area of district Kulgam today.
Kumar said that Pulwama police busted a network of LeT associates by arresting five of them. He identified them as Showket Islam Dar son of Mohd Rustom Dar, Aijaz Ahmad Lone son of Mohd Abdullah, Aijaz Gulzar Lone son of Gulzar Ahmad, Manzoor Ahmad Bhat son of Ali Mohd and Nasser Ahmad Shah son of Ghulam Rasool, all residents of Lelhar Pulwama.
Acting on specific input regarding presence of militants in Ashmuji area of district Kulgam, a joint cordon and search operation was launched by Police, 9RR of Army and 18 Bn of CRPF.
Police said that during the operation militants were given opportunities to surrender, instead they started firing indiscriminately on the search parties. The joint parties ensuring safety of civilians rescued and shifted all the civilians to safer places. The fire was retaliated leading to an encounter.
In the ensuing encounter, newly appointed district commander of Hizb was killed and his body was retrieved from the site of encounter.
As per police records, Mudasir was an A+ categorized militant and was active since year 2018 figuring among the list of most wanted militants in the area. He was part of groups involved in several attacks on security forces and civilians. He was also involved in killing of a political worker Ghulam Hassan Lone in Devsar area of Kulgam.
One Insas rifle recovered from him is the same which was snatched by militants in 2017 at Pombay DH Pora during an attack on bank vehicle.
“Incriminating materials, arms and ammunition including said Insas rifle were recovered from the site of encounter. All the recovered materials have been taken into case records for further investigation. Police have registered cases under relevant sections of law and investigations have been initiated”, Police said.
Pulwama police, during the investigation of cases pertaining to multiple grenade attacks in district Pulwama, busted a network of militant associates of LeT by arresting five of them.
Police said that preliminary investigation revealed that the module was acting as sleeper cell and were involved in procurement as well as transportation of arms and ammunition. They were also involved in carrying out grenade attacks on security forces at the behest of their handlers.
“Incriminating materials including arms/ammunition have been recovered from their possession. Accordingly, a case vide FIR No. 139/2021 under relevant Sections of law has been registered at PS Kakapora. Further investigation into the matter is in progress”, police said.
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