JeM cadre killed in ongoing Shopian gunfight

Srinagar:  A Jash-e-Mohammad militant was killed in an ongoing encounter with joint team of police and army in Shopian district of south Kashmir on Thursday. Elsewhere, one more militant body was recovered from debris of six houses razed to rubble in Handwara town of frontier Kupwara district while an Over Ground Worker of Lashker-e-Toiba was arrest in Bramulla district of north Kashmir.Official sources told that police and 44 Rashtriya Rifles launched a joint search-and-cordon at Khan Mohalla in Keller Shopian around noon. They said that the militants, two in number, were spotted after they were returning from a health centre. As the joint team was throwing a cordon, the militants took refuge in a house belonging to one, Ghulam Qadir Khanday son of Ghulam Ahmad. As the joint team approached the house, the militants opened indiscriminate fire, leading to a fierce gun battle. One militant, whose identification is put as Mohammad Imran was killed while his college, Jash-e-Mohammad commander, Tariq Zabair, is believed to be under trap. While Khanday’s house has been razed due to alleged mortar shelling by the army, Zubair has taken refuge in neighboring house.  The gunfight was going on when reports last came in.    Meanwhile, police and army recovered one more body of an unidentified militant from encounter site at Shatigam Ganai Mohalla village in Handwara. Police, 21 RR and 52 RR Units of the Army had launched a joint operation on Wednesday last, , resulting in an encounter. One un-identified militant was killed yesterday while searches to find the body of another slain militant continued today. Six residential houses were damaged during the course of gunfight.  An AK Rifle, two magazines, a wireless set and a GPS (Global Positioning System) were recovered from the encounter site.  In the meantime, Police claimed to have arrested an OGW of the Lashkare-Toiba militant outft. The OGW, identified as Showkat Ahmad Khan son of Ali Mohammad Khan of Peth Mohalla Khanpora Baramulla, was arrested during a Naka at Kanispora Baramulla following specific information, a police spokesman said here.“Showkat is an ex-militant who has remained active during late 90’s. In 2008 he was arrested for his involvement in the murder of Hurriyat activist Sheikh Aziz. He had provided the weapon of offence (Pistol) to the prime accused in the case. After his release he had continued to be affiliated to the outfit.”