Srinagar, Jammu and Kashmir Police on Monday said that two top Jaish-e-Mohammad (JeM) commanders, both Pakistani nationals, were among three militants killed in an encounter with security forces on Sunday in south Kashmir district of Kulgam.
A Deputy Superintendent of Police (Dy SP) and an Army soldier were also killed in the exchange of fire, which took place after security forces launched a joint Cordon and Search Operation (CASO) at Turigam in Kulgam on Sunday.
A police spokesperson told UNI that the three slain militants have been identified as Raqib Ahmad Sheikh, a resident of Shiganpora in Kulgam, Waleed and Numan, both Pakistani nationals.
He said according to the police records, all the three slain militants were affiliated with JeM. “The two slain Pakistani militants, Waleed and Numan, as per police records were the top commanders of the militant outfit. The duo was active in southern parts of Kashmir valley,” he said.
He said they were involved in conspiring and executing several militant attacks and were wanted by the law for their complicity in a series of crimes, including attack on security establishments and civilian atrocities. “Several militancy-related cases were registered against them for their activities,” he said.
He said arms and ammunition including rifles were recovered from the site of encounter. “All these materials have been taken in the case records for further investigation and to probe their complicity in other cases,” he said.
“Citizens are once again requested not to venture inside the encounter zone since such an area can prove dangerous due to stray explosive materials. People are requested to cooperate with police till the area is completely sanitized and cleared of all the explosives materials if any,” he added.