J-K’s most wanted militant shot dead

Security forces today killed the Valley’s most wanted local militant. The chief commander (operations) of the Hizbul Mujahideen in Jamm...

Security forces today killed the Valley’s most wanted local militant. The chief commander (operations) of the Hizbul Mujahideen in Jammu and Kashmir, Saif-ul-Islam, was shot in an encounter.

Saif had replaced Majid Dar, who was expelled from the organisation last year and killed last week. A resident of Kelar, Shopian in south Kashmir, Saif’s actual name was Ghulam Hassan Khan. According to police sources, he was arrested by a joint party of Border Security Force and J-K Police from a house in Chanpora locality in uptown Srinagar and was later killed in an encounter at Nowgam.

The forces also recovered Rs 93 lakh, a satellite phone, a wireless set and a pistol from his possession. Deputy Inspector General of the BSF, K Srinivasan said that he was killed in an encounter at village Sathu near Nowgam in Budgam district.

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‘‘We had specific information and we had been keeping tabs on his movement everywhere. He was first spotted in Chanpora and when we got to know he moved towards Nowgam, we encircled him. There was an encounter and he was killed,’’ Srinivasan said. ‘‘He had two more accomplices with him who managed to escape,’’ he said.

Sources reveal that Saif was hiding in the house of a bank official — Mohammad Altaf Mir — in Chanpora when the forces closed in on him.

Saif had taken over Hizbul operations in Kashmir soon after the unilateral ceasefire announced by his predecessor Majid Dar failed to break any ice with New Delhi.

Dar — who was killed by unidentified gunmen last week — was sidelined by the Hizbul’s Pakistan-based supreme commander Syed Salahudin and was finally replaced by Saif.