Policeman turned militant commander among two militants killed in South Kashmir’s Shopian encounter
SHOPIAN: Two militants from militant outfit Lashkar-e-Taiba were killed in South Kashmir’s Shopian orchards during the wee hours on Monday.
Yesternight, Joint Forces soldiers from 34 Rashtriya Rifles, 178 Battalion CRPF and Jammu Kashmir Police personnel had cordoned of Chek Sadiq Khan village of Imamsahab Shopian. The house in which militants were present was encircle, however, after intermittent firing, militants came out from the house and were killed in nearby orchards.
The house that belonged to one Zahoor Ghani Sheikh suffered minor damages.
Among the two militants killed, one was a deserted police constable Ishfaq Ahmad Dar alias Abu Arkam, a resident of Heff Zainpora Shopian.
Ishfaq was a police constable (EXK-126146) who was posted in Kathua district of Jammu when he joined militancy back in 2017. A resident of Heff Shirmal village, he had gone home on a 10-day leave and was to report back at District Police Lines, Kathua, on October 23, 2017 but instead of joining back, he joined militant ranks.
He was the District Commander of proscribed militant outfit Lashkar-e-Taiba.
Jammu Kashmir Police quoted IGP Kashmir Vijay Kumar in a tweet confirming the killing of Ishfaq Ahmed Dar. Police said that top commander of proscribed militant outfit LeT Ishfaq Dar alias Abu Akram who was active since 2017 has been neutralized.
IGP Kashmir congratulated the police and security forces.
The identity of another militant is yet to be ascertained, however there are reports that the slain militant is the resident Nowpora Imamsahab Shopian. (KNT)
