Inspector General of Police Kashmir Zone Vijay Kumar on Wednesday said that the number of active terrorists in the valley had come down under 200 “for the first time”.
“It is an open thing that terrorist numbers have come down. For the first time, terrorist numbers have reduced below 200 and we will bring it further down. Some people had guessed that numbers will rise but there is nothing of this sort,” news agency quoted the IGP Kashmir telling the media in Srinagar after an encounter in the city’s Rainawari area where police claimed to have killed two terrorists.
The slain duo has been identified as Rayees Ahmad Bhat from Shahabad Bijbehara and Hilal Ahmad Rah alias Shaboo son of Safeer Ahmad Rah of Kuthipora Waghama in south Kashmir’s Anantnag district.
“People have cooperated and in fact family members on their own inform that their kin has got active or is missing. Some are brought back, ” Kumar said.
Over today’s gunfight in Rainawari, the IGP Kashmir said that two slain terrorists were involved in several killings and had come to Srinagar for “hitting soft targets.”
“Late night, police got information that two terrorists are hiding in Rainawari area of downtown. Subsequently police and CRPF laid a cordon. There was firing from inside and in retaliation both the terrorists of LeT from Anantnag district were killed,” he said.
He said two FIRs were registered against Bhat and “digital device recovered from him is being analyzed.”
Asked about petrol bomb hurled by a Burka-clad woman towards CRPF bunker at Sopore, the IGP said that the woman has been identified and “would soon be arrested.”
He also appealed parents to keep watch on their wards and prevent them from joining terrorist ranks.