J&K: Newly-Appointed District Commander Of Hizbul Mujahideen Killed In Kulgam Encounter

During the operation, they found the presence of the militants and then they were given ample opportunities to surrender but instead they indiscriminately started firing.

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New Delhi: The Security forces in Jammu and Kashmir's Kulgam on Saturday killed the newly-appointed district commander of the Hizbul Mujahideen militant outfit in an encounter, according to a PTI report the police said.

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

During the operation, they found the presence of the militants and then they were given ample opportunities to surrender but instead they indiscriminately started firing. The joint parties, ensuring the safety of civilians, rescued and shifted them to safer places. The fire was retaliated leading to an encounter, he said.

The spokesman was reported saying that 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.

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

The police also said that as per police records, Wagay was an 'A+' categorised terrorist and was active since 2018. He was among the list of the most wanted terrorists. 

He was part of groups involved in several terror crimes, including attacks on security forces and civilian atrocities. He was also involved in the 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 the 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.