IGP Says LeT Commander ‘Technically Solid’ But His Strategy Won’t Work Every Time
Srinagar, Feb 19: (GNS): Militants managed escape after a fire fight in which a Special Police Officer (SPO) of police was killed while a policeman was injured in Beerwah area of central Kashmir’s Budgam district.
Official sources told GNS that there was a lull after initial gunfight. Subsequently, they said, searches were launched but no contact with the militants was re-established, suggesting that they have fled away.
Inspector General of Police for Kashmir Zone Vijay Kumar said while the militants have managed to escape in injured condition, their blood trail has been followed to another village some two kilometres away from the encounter site. The area has been cordoned off, he added.
“We received information that two militants, a foreigner and one local, Yousf Kandroo, who is LeT commander, are hiding in a house. CASO was launched by police and army and later CRPF joined, SPO Altaf and constable Manzoor Ahmad were injured and later SPO succumbed. The house owner said that one of them was injured. We have followed the blood trail and launched operation in another village which is two kilometres from the first encounter site. We are after them, we will soon neutralize them,” the IGP said.
Regarding Yousuf Kandroo, he said, that everyone, including a policeman, soldier, media person and militant, has different tactics. “Technically he is strong. I admit. His modus oprendi is to escape after initial firing. It will not work out every time and next time he will be neutralized,” the top police officer said.
Later police statement said that police, army’s 53RR and 79Bn CRPF launched a joint cordon and search operation in village Zanigam Beerwah.
“During the search operation the hiding (militants) fired indiscriminately upon the joint search party in which two J&K police personnel namely Mohammad Altaf 1444/SPO and SgCt Manzoor Ahmad 761/AP 13th Bn received gunshot injuries. However, one of the injured namely Mohammad Altaf succumbed to his injuries while another injured police personnel has been shifted to hospital.”
However, the police spokesman in the statement said that, the militants “believed to be two in number” managed to escape in an injured condition from the spot, taking advantage of the darkness. (GNS)
