Srinagar, Oct 12: On Wednesday, Police claimed to have killed the longest surviving militant of the pro-Pakistan militant group Hizbul Mujahideen during a gunfight in Indian administered Kashmir.
A top police officer A. G. Mir said the police and army launched a joint search operation in the forest area of Gutlibagh, Ganderbal, some 30 kms North of Srinagar this morning to flush out the militants hiding there.
“The militants hiding in the area opened fire on the search party. The fire was returned by the soldiers, triggering an encounter. In the ensuing gunfight, two militants were killed,” he said.
Mir also identified one of the militants as Hizbul commander Mushtaq Khan alias Mushtaq Janghi alias Mushtaq Killer. “The identity of another militant is being established. During the gunfight, a militant identified as Muzaffar was also arrested,” he said.
He claimed that Mushtaq was active since the inception of militancy in Kashmir and was the longest surviving militant in the region. “His killing is a major setback to militants in Kashmir. The deceased was involved in the killing of about 25 civilians,” he claimed.
Two AK 47 rifles, four AK Magazines and one Chinese grenade were recovered from the deceased militants.
“The combing operation in the forest area is still going on,” he added.