IPS officer''s brother among 3 militants killed in J&K encounter

Suhail A Shah
Anantnag, January 22

Three militants, one of them the younger brother of a 2012-batch IPS officer,  Inam-ul-Haq, were killed in a gunfight in Shopian, South Kashmir, today. They were identified as Amir Ahmad Dar of Chidipora, Shoaib Ahmad Shah of Shirmal and Shamsul Haq of Dragad. The latter was pursuing a degree in Unani medicine and surgery when he took to arms in May 2018. 

An official said the police had prior information about a militant hideout in Heff Shirmal which was searched a couple of times but in vain. "Today, the militants opened fire  when the area was being sealed. A gunfight ensued, which lasted a few hours. The militants were neutralised."

As locals, carrying stones, thronged the encounter site, they were chased away by the forces. Five persons, including four scribes, sustained pellet injuries. “We will look into the matter. These are the least number of injuries during an encounter in Shopian in the past many years,” a police officer said.