Says, investigations into Amshipora encounter in “final stage”; Babar Qadri’s case to be cracked soon
Srinagar, Sept 28: Stating
the Samboora gunfight in south Kashmir’s Pulwama district among the
“successful operations”, Director General of Police (DGP) Dilbagh Singh
on Monday said that joint security forces achieved a “big success” by
killing one of the longest surviving militant commander of
Lashkar-e-Toiba (LeT) outfit and his close aide. DGP also said that
investigation into the case of Advocate Babar Qadri’s assassination has
entered into the final stage and soon the case will be cracked.
DGP
who was addressing press conference in District Police Lines (DPL)
Awantipora of Pulwama district said joint security forces succeeded in
neutralizing two militants in Samboora gunfight that erupted on Sunday
late night.
“The anti-militancy
operations in Samboora area of Pulwama district started yesterday and
due to darkness, forces couldn’t continue searches in the area. However
when searches were resumed today wee hours, two militant bodies were
recovered from the spot among one was identified as Aijaz Ahmad Reshi,
who was the longest surviving militant of LeT outfit”, DGP said.
“Aijaz
Reshi was operating as Over Ground Worker (OGW) in 2015 and joined
militancy before the killing of Burhan Wani”, DGP told media personnel.
Termed
the slain militant Aijaz a “dangerous militant”, DGP Dilbagh Singh said
that he carried out deadliest attacks on security forcers inflicting
heavy casualties. “He took part in an attack at EDI Pampore in which
eight CRPF personnel were killed. He had also ferried Lashkar men to the
spot. At Kadlabal Pampore, he had fired at Army party killing three
soldiers. He had took part in series of attacks on security forces”,
Singh said.
He was the main
recruiter for the Lashkar and had recruitment many youth especially
Towseef Khanday, ,Rafiq Dar and Adil Ahmed, all slain Lashkar militants.
“Aijaz was killed along with other local militant Sajad Ahmed Sofi who
was recruitment by Aijaz and trained by him only”, the DGP said.
He
said during searches, joint security forces recovered arms and
ammunition besides incriminating material from the slain militants.
“”Two AK-47 rifles, two magazines, some rounds and incriminating
material was recovered from the slain militants”, DGP said. He, at the
occasion, complimented 50 RR and 110 Battalion CRPF who were part of the
operation at Samboora.
To a query
about local militancy recruitment in south Kashmir parts, the DGP said
that the graph has witnessed decline as compare to previous years.
“Three youth were persuaded and brought back to their families during
last 15 days, besides 24 youth shunned the path of militancy and
returned to their homes after involving their parents”, he said.
Stating
that the investigations in Amshipora Shopian encounter case has entered
into final stage, Director General of Police (DGP) Dilbagh Singh said
that the probe into the case has been accelerated after Deoxyribonucleic
Acid (DNA) samples of three Rajouri youths were matched with their
family members. He asserted that police have got vital clues of Babar
Qadri’s assassination case which will be cracked soon.
He
said the investigations into the killing of three Rajouri youth have
been accelerated and monitored by a senior police officer, saying the
probe has entered into the final stage.
“SSP
Shopian is himself monitoring the investigation process of the case and
very soon further details about the case will be shared”, DGP according
to KNS said, adding investigations have entered into the final stage.
Police
chief said that Army as well as Police are investigating the case and
added the investigations on part of Army will get completed in next few
days while as Police investigations is also going and at present we
cannot share more details of the case.
Notably
three families from Rajouri claimed that their sons were killed in a
staged encounter in Amshipora area of south Kashmir’s Shopian district
after which authorities ordered enquiry into the incident.
However,
Army on September 18, said that the Shopian operation contravened the
Dos and Don’ts of the Chief of Army Staff approved by the Supreme Court.
“The
inquiry has brought out certain prima facie evidence indicating that
during the operation, powers vested under the AFSPA 1990 were exceeded
and the Do’s and Don’ts of Chief of Army Staff as approved by the
Supreme Court have been contravened. Consequently, the competent
disciplinary authority has directed to initiate disciplinary proceedings
under the Army Act against those found prima-facie answerable”, Army in
its statement said.
DGP, during a
presser, said that Police have managed to get some vital clues about
Babar Qadri’s assassination and soon the case will be cracked.
“We
have already constituted Special Investigation Team (SIT) headed by SP
rank officer who have succeeded in getting vital clues which will
positively help us to crack the case soon”, DGP said. (KNS)
