Bijbehara Encounter: Killer Of 5-year-old Kid Escapes, 2 Other Militants Killed

5-year-old Nihan Yaseen was killed during an attack at Padshahi Bagh Anantnag in which militants fired upon a CRPF patrol killing a Jawan of CRPF.

Jammu & Kashmir: Five days after a daring attack in Bijbehara in which a CRPF jawan and 5-year-old kid were killed, security forces today managed to track the killers in Waghama village of Anantnag. J&K police had identified the attacker as Zahid Dass, a militant of Islamic State of Jammu and Kashmir (ISJK). 

Acting on a specific input generated by Anantnag Police regarding the presence of militants in the village Waghama area of Anantnag, a joint cordon and search operation was launched by JKP, 3RR and CRPF Tuesday morning.

During the search operation as the militants were surrounded, they were given an opportunity to surrender, however they fired indiscriminately upon the joint search party, which was retaliated leading to an encounter.

In the ensuing encounter, 2 militants were killed and their bodies were retrieved from the site of encounter, but the third militant managed to escape.

IGP Kashmir Vijay Kumar while confirming the encounter said that both the killed militants were with the militant Zahid, and were involved in the killing of one Policeman last year and also in the killings of two CRPF personnel and one minor boy recently.

5-year-old Nihan Yaseen was killed during an attack at Padshahi Bagh Anantnag in which militants fired upon a CRPF patrol killing a Jawan of CRPF. Nihaan was at the time, driving in a vehicle with his uncle, and was hit in the chest and abdomen killing him on the spot.

Police had identified ISJK militant, Zahid Dass as the main attacker and vowed to avenge the killing of the jawan and the minor. However, the militant managed to escape the dragnet, in which two of his associates were killed.  Incriminating materials including arms and ammunition were recovered from the site of encounter.

As per the COVID protocol, the dead bodies of the killed militants have been sent to Handwara for their last rites after conducting medico-legal formalities including the collection of their DNA.  Police say they have not been able to identify the dead militants, and in case any family claims the killed militants to be their kith or kin, they can come forward for their identification and participation in last rites at Handwara.

Sources have identified the dead militants as Yawar Ahmad Bhat from Hatigam Kanelwan Bijbehara and Arshid Ahmad Sheikh from Marhama Bijbehara and both belonged to Jaish-e- Mohammad (JEM).

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