Amit Shah inspects security and pays a visit to the family of a slain police officer in Uri
Srinagar: Four local militants were killed in two anti-militancy operations in Shopian on Wednesday, while one civilian was killed in a police firing incident at a checkpoint in Pulwama.
Meanwhile, Union Home Minister Amit Shah visited Srinagar and directed security forces and police to “pro-actively conduct coordinated counter-terrorism operations, in order to fulfil Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s vision of a prosperous and peaceful J&K.”
He urged the security forces to be vigilant “to continue with coordinated efforts through meticulous and well-planned counter-terrorism operations to wipe out terrorism”. “Terror ecosystem comprising elements that aid, abet and sustain the terrorist-separatist campaign to detriment of the well-being of common man requires to be completely dismantled,” he said.
He emphasised the importance of timely and effective investigation in cases filed under the Unlawful Activities Prevention Act (UAPA).
A Civilian has Died
Meanwhile, amid increased security, a civilian was killed in a shooting incident at a checkpoint in Pulwama, south Kashmir.
According to the police, a police officer’s rifle “accidentally went off,” injuring a civilian, Muhammad Asif Padroo of Shopian’s Poterwaal. Padroo died as a result of his injuries.
“A case has been filed, and the officer has been arrested,” said Vijay Kumar, Additional Director General of Police.
Former Chief Minister and Peoples Democratic Party president Mehbooba Mufti condemned the death, saying, “An overcautious and paranoid security apparatus in J&K has snuffed out an innocent life in Pulwama today. The need to prove normalcy overrides the sanctity of lives here. For how long will people of J&K bear a human cost to further GOI’s (Government of India) ‘all is well’ agenda.”
“Asif paid with his life in the name of ensuring security for HM’s visit,” she added.
Meanwhile, four local militants were killed in south Kashmir, bringing the total number of militants killed in the week leading up to the Union Home Minister’s visit to nine.
Three Jaish-e-Muhammad (JeM) militants and one Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) militant were killed in two separate operations in Shopian’s Drach and Moolu areas.
Hanan Bin Yaqoob, the slain LeT militant, was identified by ADGP Vijay Kumar. “The slain terrorists, Yaqoob and Jamshed, were involved in the recent killing of SPO Javed Dar on October 2 at Pinglana in Pulwama and an outsider labourer from West Bengal on September 24 in Pulwama,” According to ADGP Kumar.
Meanwhile, Mr Shah trekked the mountainous terrain to see the family members of deceased constable Mudasir Sheikh, who died on May 25 while fighting three foreign terrorists of the JeM in operation Najibhat crossing.
