Junaid Sehrai among two militants killed in Srinagar encounter

Srinagar: Top militant Commander and son of pro-freedom leader was among the two militants killed in Kashmir capital Srinagar encounter on Tuesday.

The encounter began around 2 am after a joint team of the CRPF and Jammu and Kashmir Police launched a cordon and search operation in Dana Mazar Nawakadal area of Srinagar city following inputs about the presence of militants.

Shortly after the area was brought under siege, mobile internet and mobile telephony services, except on BSNL postpaid, were snapped in Srinagar.

A police official told news agency KNT that a cop and two troopers were injured in gunfight. Militants trapped in the house, fired upon search party and there was intermittent exchange of fire.

“It was a congested area while before launching an operation, locals in the neighbourhood were evacuated safely,” the official said.

He said that the house was blasted and two bodies of militants were recovered there. “One body belongs to Junaid Sehrai while the identity of another militant is being ascertained,” he said.

He added that prima facie it seems the second body is of a Shopian militant Tahir Ahmed.

Juniad, an original inhabitant of Lolab Kupwara joined militancy in March 2020. He was the son of top pro-freedom leader Muhammad Ashraf Sehrai. He had done MBA from Kashmir University. (KNT)