Two terrorists behind attacks on labourers from outside J&K eliminated

Srinagar, April 28 Two terrorists, responsible for recent terror attacks on labourers from outside J&K in Pulwama district, have been neutralised, police said on Thursday.

Police said on a specific input generated by Pulwama police regarding presence of terrorists in Mitrigam area of Pulwama, a joint cordon and search operation was launched by police, army, and the CRPF on Wednesday.

"During the search operation, as the joint search party proceeded towards the hiding terrorist, they fired indiscriminately upon the search party which was retaliated leading to an encounter. In the initial exchange of fire, one security force personnel received gunshot injuries," police said.

"He was immediately evacuated to hospital for treatment of his injuries. However, the operation was halted to ensure safe evacuation of all the civil trapped around the encounter site. Moreover, all due precautions were also taken to avoid any collateral damage."

Police said after evacuation of civil was done, the operation was resumed. In the ensuing operation, two local terrorists, identified as Aijaz Hafiz of Dalipora and Shahid Ayub of Dheeri Murran and linked with proscribed terror outfit Al-Badr, were killed and their bodies retrieved from the site of encounter.

"As per police records, both the killed terrorists were categorised terrorists and part of groups involved in a series of terror crimes including attacks on police/ security forces and civilian atrocities. Both the killed terrorists were involved in series of recent terror attacks on outside labourers in Pulwama," police said.

"Terrorist Aijaz Ahmad Hafiz was involved in firing upon outside labourers namely Sonu Sharma, son of Banarasi Dass, resident of Pathankote (Punjab), at Yadder Pulwama, Mohammad Akram, son of Abdul Salam, resident of UP's Bijnor, at Arihal Pulwama and Wishwajeet Kumar, son of Parwas Mandal, resident of Bihar's Banka, at Circular Road Gangoo, Pulwama.

"He was also involved in firing upon bank guard namely Hamid Wani, resident of Tahab Pulwama, and Sarpanch Gh Nabi Kumar of Panchayat Halqa Arihal B at Arihal Pulwama. Besides these terror crimes, terrorist Aijaz Hafiz was instrumental in recruiting Shahid Ayoub Sheikh, who too was neutralised in the said encounter, into terrorist ranks."

"Terrorist Shahid Ayoub was involved in firing upon two outside labourers, namely Patlashwar Kumar and Joko Choudary, both residents of Bihar at Lajoora Pulwama. Before joining terrorist ranks, he was working as a terrorist associate and was involved in several other terror crimes," police said.