Author: Excelsior Special Correspondent
Publication: Daily Excelsior
Date: January 16, 2004
URL: http://www.dailyexcelsior.com/web1/04jan16/news.htm#6
CRPF cop killed in Tral, 2 civilians
in Bandipore
In a major achievement, Police and
security forces today claimed to have killed Hizbul Mujahideen's second
most important commander, Abbas Malik alias Abbas Rahi of Doda, in a brief
encounter at Tengpora, in Srinagar outskirts. In other militancy-related
incidents across Kashmir valley since last evening, militants killed a
CRPF soldier in Tral while as militants have shot dead two civilians in
Bandipore area.
Official sources told the EXCELSIOR
that early this morning a joint naka of Srinagar SOG and paramilitary forces
signaled a red colour Maruti car, JK01B-5019, to stop for checking at Tengpora
on the national highway bypass behind Batmaloo locality. Two unidentified
persons jumped out of the car and attempted to escape while opening fire
from their AK-56 rifles. Even as one of the duo managed to escape, the
naka party felled his associate in retaliation. The militant killed in
action was later in the day identified as Mohammad Abbas Malik alias Abbas
Rahi alias Shabnam alias Gazi S/o Deen Mohammad R/o Gandoh, Doda.
One AK-56 rifle, a mobile phone
instrument and Indian currency worth Rs 12 Lakh was recovered from the
slain militant. A fake identity card in the name of Javed Iqbal Naik S/o
Mohammad Lateef R/o Deer, Doda, was also recovered from the militant's
pocket.
Inspector General of Police Kashmir
Zone, K Rajendra Kumar, claimed that Abbas Rahi was Hizbul Mujahideen's
second senior most militant in Kashmir valley after "chief commander operations"
Riyaz Rasool. He said that immediately after Saifur Rehman Bajwa was killed
by Police and security forces last year, Abbas had been appointed as the
outfit's "Deputy Chief Commander of Operations". He was simultaneously
operating as the head of launching and logistics in Hizbul Mujahideen.
Rajendra described Malik's killing as a remarkable success for Police and
security forces and a major setback for all militant outfits operating
in Kashmir valley.
However, independent sources insisted
that Abbas Malik was traced and arrested with the help of his telephonic
conversation made with his associates over the cellular phone. A sum of
Rs 20 Lakh is estimated to have been seized from his possession. Making
a suggestion that Malik was killed in cold blood in a fake encounter, these
sources said that driving was not ordinarily possible on Srinagar streets
for any armed militant from 8.00 p.m to 8.00 a.m. According to official
source, Abbas Malik got killed "in encounter" at 5.00 a.m. Ahead of the
Republic Day ceremonies of January 26, Police and security forcing have
set up special checking points at all sensitive places in the capital city
where every civilian vehicle is stopped and checked minutely.
Six hours after the militant was
killed, an IED blast took place in Ambassador car No: JK02F-3148, at Tengpora
on the same highway. Apparently the target was a CRPF convoy which was
on way to Srinagar from Baramulla. A CRPF vehicle, 2668-PB32, suffered
damage and a soldier travelling in it sustained injuries. He was identified
as head constable Ram Niwas of CRPF 23 Bn.
Informed sources in south Kashmir
said that after dropping some items for the CRPF guards at the house of
the National Conference leader and Lok Sabha member, Ali Mohammad Naik,
at Tral, a Tata-407 of CRPF 86 Bn was ambushed by militants near the main
bus-stand in town. A head constable, Rajeshwar Prasad, was hit in the head.
He died on spot. With his AK-56 rifle, the militant escaped under the cover
of a crowd.
Earlier in the day, a naka of BSF
120 Bn signaled a Tata-Sumo, JK03-6268, to stop at Tral Bala. A militant
jumped out of the vehicle, lobbed a hand grenade and escaped under the
cover of some fleeing passengers. None of the checking party was, however,
injured.
Reports from north Kashmir said
that unidentified gunmen, believed to be militants, kidnapped one Imtiyaz
Ahmed S/o Abdur Rahim from his house in Brar, Bandipore, on Tuesday and
shot him dead during last night. His dead body was recovered from a deserted
spot in the same village.
Police also recovered the dead body
of one Ghulam Ahmed Wani S/o Abdus Sattar Wani R/o Sunarwani, Bandipore,
from Wuyan area in Bandipore today. Reports said that an accountant at
Zonal Education Office Bandipore, Wani had been kidnapped by militants
in the month of November last.
