IS chief among 6 killed in J&K, terror group's presence confirmed
Srinagar, June 22: Six people, including the IS chief in the Kashmir Valley and three of his associates, were killed and over 30 injured in separate incidents of violence in Jammu and Kashmir on Friday, even as security officials for the first time confirmed presence of the Islamist terror group in the state.
State Director General of Police (DGP) S.P. Vaid confirmed that four terrorists killed after a gunfight in Anantnag district were of the Islamic State (IS).
"The slain terrorists were reportedly affiliated to Islamic State Jammu and Kashmir (ISJK)," he said in a tweet.
On its website in 2017, the Islamic State had said that its Indian affiliate, Ansar Gazwatul Hind, was being headed by Zakir Musa, a Kashmiri militant commander.
With days left before the Amarnath Yatra begins, security forces laid a cordon around the Khiram village in Srigufwara area of Anantnag district following specific information about the presence of the militants.
"As the cordon was tightened, the militants, hiding in a house, fired at the security personnel, triggering the gunfight," a police officer said.
The four militants killed have been identified as ISJK chief Dawood Salfi alias Burhan from HMT area of Srinagar, Majeed Manzoor from Talangam village in Pulwama, Adil Hassan Mir and Ashraf Itoo, both from Srigufwara itself.
A member of the Jammu and Kashmir's Special Operations Group (SOG) was also killed during the operation, while three other security personnel were injured, police said.
The other fatality was one of the house owners, who also came in the line of fire. While Muhammad Yusuf was killed, his wife Hafeeza sustained a gunshot injury. She was shifted to a hospital for treatment, police said.
Vaid said: "The bodies of the slain terrorists can be seen inside the house where they were hiding. We are retrieving the bodies."
Earlier, dozens of youth started throwing stones at the security forces near the site of the gunfight as the gun battle progressed. Over 20 protesters were injured in the clashes.
Clashes also erupted in Pulwama town and HMT area of Srinagar from where two of the four slain militants belonged.
Authorities have suspended mobile Internet services in all four south Kashmir districts and in Srinagar to check the spread of any kind of rumours.
In another incident, eight security personnel including local policemen and Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) troopers were injured when militants hurled a grenade and then resorted to firing at a police patrol party in Tral town of Pulwama.
Meanwhile, Governor N.N.Vohra on Friday visited Baltal base camp of Amarnath Yatra to take stock of the arrangements for this year's Yatra which begins on June 28.
Let the Truth be known. If you read VB and like VB, please be a VB Supporter and Help us deliver the Truth to one and all.
Three arrested for killing Buddhist woman monk in Himachal
Shimla (PTI): Three people have been arrested for allegedly murdering a Buddhist woman monk in Mandi district of Himachal Pradesh nearly a month ago, police said on Friday.
The accused -- Gagan Sharma (23), Vishal (23) and Gaurav Sharma (20), all residents of Mandi -- were arrested on Thursday night, police said.
According to police, the 78-year-old Buddhist woman monk, Orje Shoki, was found murdered in a cave near Sarkidhar village, following which a Special Investigation Team (SIT) was constituted to nab the accused.
Mandi Superintendent of Police (SP) Vinod Kumar said that during the investigation, more than 50 suspects were questioned and DNA samples of several suspects were also collected.
After a detailed investigation, the accused were arrested from different locations on Thursday night, he said.
Kumar said all the accused are drug addicts and they committed the crime with the intention of looting the victim, so that they could buy drugs.
Efforts are on to nab two more accused wanted in the case. They will be put behind bars soon, the SP said.
