SOG man from J & K police killed, two security personnel including a CRPF jawan and SOG fighter were injured in the fierce gun battle which lasted for about 10 hours.
Junaid Sehraii, son of the top separatist leader Ashraf Sehraii is among the two Hizb-ul Mujahideen militants killed in a fierce encounter in Nawa Kadal area of Srinagar city on Tuesday. This is the first time when any top separatist leaders have lost his son in the 32 years long violent separatist movement in Kashmir. Asraf Sehraii is chairman of the strongest constituent of APHC G, Tehreek-i-Hurriyat. Earlier in 1990, a Jammu based separatist leader Saidullah Tantray too lost his son Tanveer, a Hizb Commander in a fierce gun battle with security forces in Doda district.
In the encounter which broke out during the intervening night in May 18-19 in Nawakadal area of Srinagar, a Jammu and Kashmir Police constable was killed while another cop, a CRPF jawan and two others sustained injuries.
One Of the two Hizb-ul-Mujahideen militants who were gunned down by security forces in the encounter was identified as Junaid Sehrai, son of Tehreek-e-Hurriyat chairman Mohammed Ashraf Sehrai. The sources have stated that Junaid Sehrai was one of the top commanders of Hizb-ul Mujahideen, and was recently given an important military rank in the group after killing chief operations commander, Riyaz Naikoo. Junaid joined militant ranks of Hizbul Mujahideen in 2018.
As per the eyewitnesses, around 2 am gunshots were heard in and around Nawa Kadal area of Srinagar city, followed by the intermittent exchange of fire between the holed up militants and the security forces which included Army, CRPF and SOG of J & K police.
Sources said security forces blasted the two houses where militants had taken shelter, and about 12-15 residential houses. The sources in the area, however have revealed that the security forces, for the first time have employed restrain, while dealing with the inhabitants
The encounter began around 2 am after a joint team of the CRPF and Jammu and Kashmir Police launched a cordon and search operation in the area following inputs about the presence of militants.
Mobile internet and mobile telephony services, except on BSNL postpaid, have been snapped in Srinagar as a precautionary measure.
Earlier, Kashmir Zone Police, on its official Twitter handle, said, “Encounter has started at #Kanemazar #Nawakadal area of #Srinagar. JKP and CRPF are on the job. Further details shall follow.”
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