Security forces avenge Lt Ummer Fayaz’s death, gun down terrorists who killed him last year
Lieutenant Ummer Fayaz was all of 23 when terrorists killed him in Jammu and Kashmir's Shopian in May last year
Srinagar: Briefing the media on the three big anti-terror operations held in Jammu and Kashmir on Sunday, the Army stated that out of the seven terrorists gunned down in Kashmir’s Draggad, two terrorists were involved in the killing of Indian Army Lt Ummer Fayaz. Lieutenant Fayaz was all of 23 when terrorists abducted him while he was on his way home from his cousin’s wedding in Shopian last year in May. His bullet-ridden body was found by villagers a day after he was kidnapped.
The encounter in Shopian’s Draggad broke out early Sunday morning and seven terrorists were killed in the encounter, including top commanders Zeenat-Ul-Islam and Zubair Turray. Islam and Turray had abducted Lt Fayaz and were involved in killing him. All the seven terrorists have been identified as locals and their bodies have been claimed by their kin, J&K DGP Shesh Paul Vaid told the media.
A total of eight terrorists have been killed in three encounters in south Kashmir. Sources suggest this number may go up to ten, as an encounter in Kachdoora is still underway, with around two terrorists holed up there. One soldier has been injured in the Kachdoora encounter. Earlier, in an encounter in Anantnag district, one terrorist was gunned down and another was caught alive. Two Army jawans have lost their lives in the gunbattle that ensued in Anantnag.The neutralised terrorist has been identified as Rouf Khandey.
"We caught one terrorist alive and one was killed in Anantnag. Two army jawans lost their lives in the ongoing operation. Few J&K police, CRPF and Army personnel have suffered injuries," Vaid said, addressing the media after the operations concluded. DGP had earlier tweeted that Vaid tweeted that Khandey was gunned down after efforts of Jammu and Kashmir police and his family as well asking him to surrender failed.
"Anantnag SSP made a special effort, he spoke to family members of terrorist to convince him to leave the path of violence, but the terrorist did not listen," he told the media. Acting on a specific intelligence input about the presence of militants in Anantnag, security forces had launched a cordon and search operation in the area, a police official told PTI. Arms and ammunition have been recovered from the encounter site.
The search operation turned into an encounter after militants fired upon the forces, he added. In retaliatory firing by security forces, one militant was killed, the official said.