SRINAGAR: Inspector General Police (IGP) Kashmir Vijay Kumar on Wednesday reiterated his appeal to all misguided youths who have joined terror folds to shun the path of violence and return to the mainstream and contribute in nation building.
Two terrorists were killed in a gunfight between the terrorists and security forces in the Rainawari area in Central Kashmir's Srinagar district on Wednesday. Police said based on specific input generated by the police regarding the presence of terrorists in the area, a joint cordon and search operation was launched by the Srinagar Police and Valley QRT CRPF.
"During the operation, as the search party proceeded towards the suspected spot, the hiding terrorists fired indiscriminately upon the search party which was retaliated effectively leading to an encounter, " police said.
In the ensuing gunfight, two terrorists were killed and their bodies were retrieved from the site. They have been identified as Rayees Ahmad Bhat and Hilal Ahmad Rah, both residents of Bijbehara Anantnag, linked with proscribed terror outfit Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT).
"As per police records both the killed terrorists were categorised terrorists and part of groups involved in several terror crime cases, including attacks on police/security forces and civilian atrocities.
"It is pertinent to mention that the killed terrorist Rayees Ahmad was earlier working as a journalist and was running online news portal 'Valley News Service' in Anantnag. He had joined the terrorist ranks in 2021 and was wanted by law in cases related to terror crime. He was also responsible for creating terror among the locals and had been coercing innocent citizens to sympathise with anti-national elements, " police said.
Incriminating materials, arms and ammunition were recovered from the site, said the police.
Meanwhile, the IGP congratulated the Srinagar Police and Valley QRT CRPF for carrying out the anti-terrorist operation in a professional manner without any collateral damage.
The IGP Kashmir, while sharing the details with the media, said that the slain terrorists were planning to attack soft targets in Srinagar and timely action by the Srinagar Police led to the elimination of both.
He also said the number of terrorists operating in the Kashmir Valley has fallen as compared to last many years and "we are intensifying the operations to make the valley terror free". He further said the J&K Police were trying hard to bring the misguided youth, who have joined the terrorist ranks, back to their normal life with the help of their family members and respectable citizens.
The IGP Kashmir reiterated his appeal to all the misguided youths to shun the path of violence and return to mainstream and contribute in nation building.
Inspector General Police (IGP) Kashmir Vijay Kumar. (Credit: Twitter)