Hizbul Mujahideen district commander killed in encounter in J&K's Kulgam

SRINAGAR: A newly-appointed district commander of Hizbul Mujahideen militant outfit was killed in an encounter with security forces in Jammu and Kashmir's Kulgam on Saturday, police said.

Acting on specific input regarding presence of militants in Ashmuji area of south Kashmir, security forces launched a cordon and search operation in the area, a police spokesman said.

"During the operation, as the presence of terrorists was ascertained, they were given ample opportunities to surrender, instead they started firing indiscriminately on the search parties. The joint parties, ensuring safety of civilians, rescued and shifted them to safer places. The fire was retaliated leading to an encounter," he said.

In the ensuing encounter, the newly-appointed district commander of Hizbul Mujahideen (HM), Mudasir Wagay, a resident of Malwan Kulgam, was killed and his body was retrieved from the site of the encounter, he said.

On Wednesday, police had said HM district commander Shakir Nazar was killed in an encounter in Pombay area of Kulgam.

The spokesman added that as per police records, Wagay was "an 'A+' categorised terrorist and was active since 2018, figuring among the list of most wanted terrorists".

"He was part of groups involved in several terror crimes, including attack on security forces and civilian atrocities. He was also involved in killing of a political worker, Gh Hassan Lone, in Devsar area of Kulgam," the spokesman said.

An INSAS rifle was recovered which is the same weapon that was snatched by militants in 2017 at Pombay DH Pora during an attack on a bank vehicle.

"Incriminating material, arms and ammunition, including INSAS rifle, were recovered from the site of encounter. All the recovered materials have been taken into case records for further investigation. Police have registered cases under relevant sections of law and investigations have been initiated," the spokesman added.