Since 2017, Naveed Jhat, Abu Ismail, Abu Zarar, Hilal Bhat among top commanders of Lashkar, Jaish, Hizb killed on road stretch, officials say vigil intensified on roadlink after inputs about militant movement
Srinagar: The crucial road stretch connecting Nowgam of Srinagar with Central Kashmir’s Budgam district and also with the south Kashmir’s Pulwama district has proved out to be fatal for the militants as top Lashkar-e-Tobia, Jaish-e-Muhammad and Hizbul Mujahideen outfit were gunned down on this very stretch since 2017, KNO has learnt from reliable sources in the security grid of Kashmir.
A senior police officer, told KNO, on the condition of anonymity, that after the continuous inputs about the travel and frequent movement by militants, including top commanders, on the road stretch that include Nowgam to Chadoora and also beyond through an artery that connects Budgam with the Pulwama, a strategy was devised to intensify both “technical and human intelligence.”
“On this stretch, top commanders that include Lashkar-e-Toiba’s most wanted commander Naveed Jhat, was also killed on this very stretch, though in a house. He was the biggest catch of year 2018,” the officer told KNO. He said that before Jhat, a top commander of Jaish-e-Muhammad Abu Ismail, who was involved in the attack on the Amarnath pilgrim bust in 2017 that left nine pilgrims dead and dozens injured at Anantnag district.”
Besides Jhat, who had given tough times to security forces, after managing to escape from SMHS hospital Srinagar in February 2018, after killing two policemen guarding him, and Abu Ismail, recently, security forces managed to kill top commander of Jaish-e-Muhammad outfit Abu Zarar in Chekpora, Kanipora area of Budgam district.
And the latest was Hizbul Mujahideen’s wanted militant, Hilal Ahmed Bhat, who was active since 2017, and was killed at Bugam are of Chadoora in Budgam district.Official figures suggest in Budgam, 23 militants were killed since 2017. Sources in police revealed that the road stretch from Nowgam to Chadoora and the road link connecting Pulwama with Nowgam was used by the militants to carry out frequent travel from south Kashmir to Srinagar.
“The main purpose was to receive and to distribute consignments including grenades and bullets. Besides, Jaish-e-Muhammad outfit was also using this road to carry out sniping attacks,” sources in the security forces said.
They said both technical and human intelligence was being used to track the movement of militants using this road and “a major success was achieved in the recent past.” “All the three commanders of Lashkar, Jaish and Hizb were involved in recruiting local boys into militancy.
So a major dent was caused to these three outfits with the killing of three four top commanders on this road stretch,” they said. He said vigil will continue to remain on this road stretch to prevent travel of militants. Interestingly, this year so far, 125 militants including 15 top commanders of various militants have been killed while as in the past three years, 724 militants have been killed.(KNO)
