Three Hizbul Mujahideen militants killed in encounter in Shopian

Three Hizbul Mujahideen militants, including a police deserter and a top-ranking commander, were killed in an encounter with security forces in Shopian district of Jammu and Kashmir on Monday, police said.

Security forces launched a cordon and search operation in Wacchi area of Shopian following information about presence of militants there, a police official said.

He said the militants were asked to surrender but they chose to open fire towards security forces' positions.

"In the ensuing encounter, three militants of Hizbul Mujahideen were killed," the official said.

One of the slain militants was identified as Adil Ahmad, a special police officer who had deserted the force in 2018. He had decamped with seven AK assault rifles and a pistol from the official residence of then Wachi MLA Aijaz Ahmad Mir from Jawahar Nagar area in the city, the official said.

The other two militants were identified as Waseem Wani and Jahangir, he said.

Terming the killing of the three militants a major success, Director General of Police (DGP) Dilbag Singh said Hizbul Mujahideen is on the "verge of elimination" in south Kashmir.

The police force has made a successful start to 2020, he told reporters.

The operations have been successful due to increased movement of security forces following leads provided by militants arrested along with Deputy Superintendent of Police Davinder Singh, now suspended, on January 11, he added.

The DGP said Wani was one of the top-ranking commanders of Hizbul Mujahideen. He was involved in 19 cases, including killings of four civilians and as many policemen.

"Adil was also involved in some of these killings after he deserted the police force in September 2018," he said.

Singh said the elimination of this group of militants will remove fear from the minds of people in Shopian and bring closure to the kin of their victims.