One policeman and four suspected militants were killed on Friday, 22 June, during an encounter between ultras and security forces in the Anantnag district of Jammu and Kashmir, reported PTI. One civilian was also reportedly killed. One of the militants is Islamic State Jammu and Kashmir (ISJK) chief Dawood Ahmed Sofi, reported PTI quoting police officials.
J&K DGP SP Vaid took to Twitter to confirm the developments.
Security forces launched a cordon and search operation in Khiram in the Srigufwara area of the south Kashmir district on Friday morning after receiving intelligence input about the presence of militants in the area, reported PTI.
SP Vaid Pays Tribute to Cop
Later in the day, Vaid paid tribute to policeman Ashiq Hussain who was killed during the encounter.
The search operation allegedly turned into a gunfight after the militants fired upon the forces, who retaliated. An official told PTI that clashes broke out near the encounter site as a group of youth started pelting stones on the forces who were engaged in the operation.
Security forces used force on the protesters and several civilians suffered injuries, the official said.
Meanwhile, clashes also broke out in Pulwama following the Anantnag encounter, reported CNN-News18.
Giving details about Dawood Sofi, police said he was 33 years old, a resident of Srinagar's Zainakoot area and was involved in several stone pelting cases in the area before he joined the terror outfit ISJK, reported PTI.
He is believed to be involved in the murder of assistant sub-inspector Ghulam Mohammad and head constable Naseer Ahmad at Bagh Ali Mardan Khan in Zadibal and also in the killing of a policeman and snatching his rifle at Tengpora Batamaloo in May 2016 besides other terror attacks.
Sofi was initially known to be affiliated with the banned Tehrek-ul-Mujahideen terror outfit. Later, the group itself aligned itself with the ideology of the ISIS and renamed the group ISJK, officials said.
Internet Services Suspended
Mobile internet services were snapped in three districts of Kashmir Valley - Srinagar, Anantnag and Pulwama – as a precautionary measure to maintain law and order.
A police official told PTI that the decision to suspend the services has been taken as a precautionary measure to maintain law and order.
(With inputs from PTI and CNN-News18)
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