: Top LeT comdr, associate killed in Srinagar shootouts #IndiaNEWS #Todays story Killing of Parray major success, Hajin militancy free: IGP Fayaz Bukhari Srinagar, Jan 3: Two militants including the

Top LeT comdr, associate killed in Srinagar shootouts #IndiaNEWS #Todays story
Killing of Parray major success, Hajin militancy free: IGP
Fayaz Bukhari
Srinagar, Jan 3: Two militants including the top Lashkar-e-Toiba commander were killed in two separate brief shootouts at Shalimar area of Srinagar today.
The slain LeT commander has been identified as Muhammad Saleem Parray of Bandipora, who was active since 2016 while another was identified as a foreign militant.
Speaking to reporters, Inspector General of Police (IGP) Kashmir, Vijay Kumar, said that two militants were cornered in Shalimar area of Srinagar. They opened fire at the security forces and initially one militant Saleem Parray was killed in a retaliatory action, he said.
Srinagar police cornered Saleem Parray and he opened fire. In the retaliatory firing, he was killed, he said, adding that the killing of Parray is a big success for police as he was involved in dozens of killings.
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In 2016 agitation, Saleem Parray had killed 12 civilians by slitting their throats, he said, adding that Parray was killed in an encounter at Shalimar garden in Srinagar. He said Parrays aide was killed in Gusu area and he was identified as a foreign militant, Hafiz alias Hamza of Pakistan.
The IGP said that Hamza was involved in the recent killing of two policemen at Gulshan Chowk in Bandipora.
Kumar said that after the incident, Hamza shifted to Harwan area of Srinagar due to frequent cordon and search operations in Bandipora area.
A police spokesman said that Police along with security forces neutralized two militants including top most wanted and dreaded militant Saleem Parray of Hajin in two separate successive operations at Shalimar area in the outskirts of Srinagar city.
Based on specific input generated by Police regarding presence of militant in Harwan in Shalimar area, a search operation was launched by Srinagar Police and CRPF in the area. During the search operation, the search party was fired upon indiscriminately by hiding militant, which was effectively retaliated leading to a brief shootout and elimination of a dreaded militant Saleem Parray, linked with proscribed militant outfit LeT, the spokesman said.
Soon after the said operation, another operation was carried out by Police, CRPF along with Army in Gasu area under PS Zakoora. During the said operation, one foreign militant identified as Hafiz alias Hamza of Pakistan linked with LeT was killed. The spokesman said that both the slain were involved in series of crimes including civilian killings, attacks on forces and political leaders.
He was also involved in killing of a CRPF personnel at Hajin Bandipora, killing of a civilian namely Nadif Hanief Khan of Bilal Colony Soura in Buchpora, Kumar said.