Top cop dismisses IS claims on Kashmir encounter

Jammu and Kashmir Director General of Police SP Vaid on Sunday denied that the Islamic State (IS) had a presence in the state.

About the IS mouthpiece claiming responsibility for the Zakura encounter in Srinagar, the senior police official said, "It is yet to be verified, I don't think ISIS (Islamic State of Iraq and Syria) has any imprints here."

Amaq News Agency, an IS affiliate had claimed that the terrorist group was behind the encounter that took place on November 17 inZakura near Srinagar. A sub-inspector was killed and a Special Protection Officer injured during the brief shootout which took place when three terrorists travelling in a car opened fire on a police team. A terrorist was apprehended while another, Mugees Ahmad Mir, was gunned down in the retaliatory gunfire. His was wrapped in the IS flag, the Indian Express had reported earlier.

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The same day, Union minister Jitendra Singh said the government has taken note of reports about the IS claiming the attack. He said that the future course of action would be adopted after taking an appropriate view.

SP Vaid was addressing a joint press conference on Saturday's Bandipora encounter in the state in which six terrorists, including the nephew of the 26/11 terrorist attack mastermind Zakiur Rehman Lakhvi, were killed.

"Kashmir valley needs to be free from violence, terror, guns and drugs. A commendable joint effort by our agencies, jawans. Wish very soon we can see Kashmir free of violence," the J&K DGP said about the encounter in Bandipora's Hajin town.

The Army's 15 Corps Commander Lt Gen JS Sandhu and General officer commanding (GOC) Victor Force, Inspector General Operations CRPF also addressed the press.

Lt Gen JS Sandhu said that 190 terrorists had been killed in the state in 2017 of which 80 were local terrorists and 110 foreign.

"We have killed about 190 terrorists as on date, in 2017. Out of these 190, 80 are local terrorists and 110 foreign. Out of these 110, 66 terrorists were killed near the Line of Control (LoC) while infiltrating," Lt Gen JS Sandhu said.

"What we find this year is that we have killed approximately 125-130 terrorists in the hinterland of Kashmir Valley. This has resulted in a remarkable change in the situation," he added.

On the encounter in Hajin, the top army official said that the security forces had launched several operations in Hajin from mid-September and "were practically launching search ops on a daily basis", having inducted special forces into the area. He added that all six terrorists killed in the encounter were foreign terrorists.

"Based on specific information, a joint operation was launched by the CRPF, Army, J&K Police in which six terrorists were eliminated, all were foreign terrorists. Commend all agencies who worked to ensure the success of the operation," the GOC said.

He also called the local terrorists a "proxy for Pakistan" and asked them to return to the mainstream, stating that the security forces would receive them in an "honourable manner."

"The local terrorists must realise that it is easy to call yourself a Mujahid. But are you a Mujahid, or just a proxy for Pakistan?" he said.

"Come back to the mainstream, this will facilitate the return of peace to the valley. We are ready to receive them in an honorable manner," he said.

An Indian Air Force Garud commando was killed and two army personnel were injured in an encounter in Hajin on Saturday. The Garud Commando Force is the special forces unit of the IAF.

Two Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) commanders, Zargam and Mehmood, were also among the terrorists killed by the security forces