Mubashir Bukhari
Srinagar (NVI): The three militants, who were killed in Tral area of south Kashmir today, were planning to carry out a big IED blast in Srinagar on Republic day, said Inspector General of Police (IGP), Kashmir, Vijay Kumar.
Addressing media here, the IGP said that the three Hizbul militants were neutralised in south Kashmir’s Awantipora after a long gunbattle. “With inputs from our intelligence, it includes Qari Yasir, who is Jaish-self styled Kashmir chief…we had received info that he was planning to carry out a big IED blast in Srinagar. The Identification of two others is underway,” he said.
A gunfight broke out between militants and security forces at Hariparigam of Tral in Pulwama district earlier today, after getting inputs about their presence in the area. Police said that two army men were also injured in the encounter and were shifted to Army hospital.
In the gunfight, three militants including Jaish Commander Qari Yasir were gunned down.
The IGP said that they had inputs that Qari Yasir, Burhan and Musa were hiding at the encounter site. While they were able to identify one of the slain as Jaish Commander Qari Yasir, the identification of two others is yet to be ascertained.
According to the police, Qari Yasir played supervisor role in last year’s Pulwama attack in which 40 CRPF men were killed.
Chinar Corps Commander, Lt General KJS Dhillon, who was part of the press conference today said that these militants were planning to do some act of “terrorism” on January 26. “Today morning we got information of some Jaish-e-Mohammed militants who were planning to do some act of terrorism on January 26 in Tral. So, today morning the operation was launched. The operation is still underway, “he said.
Dhillon also said that with the killing of Qari Yasir and other two, Jaish-e-Muhammad has been wiped out from Kashmir.
He said that infiltration attempts are being made but the security forces are trying their best to contain them.
