Srinagar: Newly appointed District Commander of banned militant outfit Hizbul Mujahideen, Mudasir Wagay, was killed in a security forces operation in south Kashmir’s Kulgam district.
Acting on specific input regarding presence of militants in Ashmuji area of district Kulgam, a joint cordon and search operation was launched by Police, 9RR and 18Bn CRPF in the said area, a police spokesperson said.
“During the operation, as the presence of militants was ascertained, they were given ample opportunities to surrender, instead they started firing indiscriminately on the search parties,” police said.
The joint parties ensuring safety of civilians rescued and shifted all the civilians to safer places. The fire was retaliated leading to an encounter, police said.
In the ensuing encounter, Wagay, a resident of Malwan Kulgam, was killed and his body was retrieved from the site of encounter.
As per police records, he was an A+ categorized militant and was active since 2018 figuring among the list of most wanted militants.
“He was part of groups involved in several terror crimes including attack on security forces and civilian atrocities,” police said.
Police also accuse him of killing a political worker Ghulam Hassan Lone in Devsar area of Kulgam.
Police said the Insas rifle recovered from him is the same snatched by militants in 2017 at Pombay DH Pora during an attack on bank vehicle.
“Incriminating materials, arms and ammunition including said Insas rifle were recovered from the site of encounter. All the recovered materials have been taken into case records for further investigation,” police said.
Police have registered cases under relevant sections of law and investigations have been initiated. KR.
