Police Press Release
On a specific input generated by Awantipora Police regarding presence of a group of JeM militants in the upper reaches of forest area of Nagaberan Dhoka area of Tral, a joint cordon and search operation was launched by Police and Army (42RR) in the said area.
During the search operation, the hiding militants fired on the joint search party, which was retaliated leading to an encounter. In the ensuing encounter three militants of proscribed militant outfit JeM were killed and their bodies were retrieved from the site of encounter. One of the killed militants has been identified as Wakeel Ahmad Shah son of Muzaffar Ahmad Shah resident of Bagandar Tral. Second killed Militant identified as Ab Hamid Chopan. His son Adil chopan was also a Militant, who was killed in an encounter in year 2017. Militant Hamid was involved in killing of civilians and third killed Militant was identified as Illyas Najar S/O Manzoor Najar R/O Khellan, Pulwama. He was active since June 2019. He was also involved in many crime cases.
As per police records, the killed militant Wakeel Shah was a categorized militant and figured among the list of most wanted militants operating in the valley. He was instrumental in planning and executing militant attacks on security establishments and civilian killings of which several militancy crime cases have already been registered against him. He executed a series of attacks on Police/security forces and resorted to brutal killings of civilians branding them as Police/SF informers. He was involved in killing of Municipal Chairman Tral & BJP leader Shri Rakesh Pandita at Tral Payeen, Shabir Ahmad Bhat resident of Noorabad Tral, Mohd Ayoub Ahanger resident of Tral Payeen, Shakeela Begum resident of Dar Ganie Gund, SPO Fayaz Ahmad, his wife Raja Begum and daughter Rafia Jan at Hariparigam.
Moreover, Wakeel Shah was also involved in a series of firing/grenade lobbing attacks on Police/SF including firing on SF during CASO at Brenthal, grenade lobbing at bus stand Tral on 18/10/2020. Besides, Case FIR No. 101/2020 of PS Tral pertaining to recovery of narcotics and explosives at Tral Payeen was also registered against him.
Incriminating materials including arms & ammunition were also recovered from the site of encounter. All the recovered materials have been taken into case records for further investigation and to probe their complicity in other terror crimes. In this connection, Police has registered a case under relevant sections of law and further investigation is in progress.
IGP Kashmir Vijay Kumar have congratulated the joint teams of Police and Army for the big success that led to the elimination of wanted militant who was wanted by the law for his involvement in several terror crime cases.
It is also pertinent to mention that Corps Commander 15 Corps, IGP Kashmir and GoC Victor Force visited to encounter site, interacted with the participants and appreciated their role in a very difficult operation. This operation is one of the best example of jungle warfare.
