Two Militants Killed in Srinagar; Militant Cadre Shrinks in Kashmir

Srinagar: Two militants were killed at Rainawari locality in the downtown area of Srinagar on Wednesday, following which the police said they averted an attack in the city. Srinagar has witnessed a rise in attacks on civilian targets since March. 

The police identified one of the militants as Rayees Ahmad Bhat, a resident of Shahbad Veeri village of Bihbehara in Anantnag district of South Kashmir. Bhat, before joining the militant ranks, in October last year ran a social media news portal named "Valley News Service". The Jammu and Kashmir police, in a statement, said that Rayees was a 'C' categorised militant and was involved in two FIRs related to militancy. 

A digital device has also been recovered from him, which the police said is being analysed. 

Another slain militant was identified by police as Hilal Ahmad Rah of South Kashmir's Bijbehara area and was also a 'C' categorised militant. Following the encounter in the busy old city area, Inspector General of Police (Kashmir) Vijay Kumar told reporters that the two militants killed in gunfight were involved in several killings and had come to Srinagar for "hitting soft targets."    

"Late night, police got information that two militants are hiding in the Rainawari area of downtown, following which the police and CRPF laid a cordon. There was firing from inside and in retaliation both the militants of LeT from Anantnag district were killed," Kumar said.

A top police officer also said that militant numbers have fallen significantly.

"The militant numbers have come down. For the first time, militant numbers have reduced below 200, and we will bring it further down. Some people had guessed that numbers would rise but there is nothing of that sort," he said. 

As many as 41 militants have been killed in the region since January. The number of active militants has fallen lowest since 2013, when less than 100 militants were believed to have been active in the region. There has been a significant fall in recruitment since last year, even as the militant attacks continue to occur with occasional spikes in attacks on civilian targets, especially since October last year. The victims include police personnel, Panchayat members and non-Kashmiris. In March, the militants carried out eight such attacks on what the police refer to as "soft targets", including two panchayat members, non-local workers, a policeman and his brother. 

The police have also said they identified a woman who hurled a petrol bomb towards a CRPF bunker at North Kashmir's Sopore. The IGP said the woman would be "arrested" soon. 

Meanwhile, the law enforcement agency National Investigation Agency (NIA) has announced a bounty of Rs 10 lakh against militants of The Resistance Front (TRF). An NIA spokesman identified them as Sajjad Gul, a resident of Srinagar's HMT Colony, Salem Rehmani of Sindh area of Pakistan, Basit Ahmed Dar from village Redwani Payeen of South Kashmir's Kulgam, and Saifullah Sajid Jatt, a resident of village Punjab, Pakistan.