Terrorist involved in killing of head constable neutralised by J&K police

Two terrorists of Lashkar-e-Taiba’s local offshoot The Resistance Front (TRF) were neutralised by Jammu and Kashmir police in an encounter at the Zakura area of Srinagar city.

One of the terrorists killed in the encounter has been identified as Ikhlaq Hajam, Kashmir’s inspector general of police Vijay Kumar said.

Hajam was involved in the recent killing of head constable Ali Muhammad Ganie in Anantnag’s Hassanpora. Kumar said that incriminating materials including two pistols were recovered from the site.

The 53-year-old head constable of Jammu and Kashmir police was killed last week after terrorists opened fire on him around 5.35pm near his residence in Anantnag’s Hassanpora Bijbhera area. Ganie was rushed to the Government Medical College in Anantnag where the doctors declared him brought dead.

He was posted at the Kulgam police station.

Ganie’s killing was condemned by leaders across party lines as “deplorable” and “cowardly”.

“Strongly denounce the killing of Policeman at Bijbehara. Its barbaric, condemnable and deplorable act, urges police top brass to punish killers forthwith,” Bharatiya Janata Party spokesperson Altaf Thakur said.

The J&K National Conference tweeted, “Unequivocally condemn the cowardly attack on JKP Head Constable Ali Muhammad Ganie in Anantnag’s Hassanpora area in which he lost his life. Our condolences go out to his family, friends and colleagues. May Allah grant him a place in Jannat.”

Security forces in Jammu and Kashmir have intensified counterterrorism operations in the valley following the targeted attacks on civilians, particularly those from minority communities. They eliminated top JeM commander Zahid Wani last week in an encounter in the Pulwama district of Jammu and Kashmir.