8 militants surrendered this year, 5 this month, we’ve good network in Srinagar: IGP

Srinagar: Jammu and Kashmir Police on Wednesday said that eight militants surrendered in live encounters across Kashmir this year among which five surrenders took place in the ongoing month of October alone.

Addressing media persons in Srinagar, Inspector General of Police (IGP) for Kashmir range, Vijay Kumar, said: “One good thing has been happening this year that surrenders took place during live encounters as well. This year so far eight surrenders took place in live encounters in the Valley of which five militants surrendered in October alone.”

Terming it as a “welcome development”, the IGP reiterated his appeal to the new militant recruits to return home.

When asked why encounters are taking place in Srinagar and city outskirts increasingly, he said it was because of the smooth flow of intelligence inputs and other technical information.

“Srinagar Police comes to know about the militant movement in the city. They have a good network in the City,” he said.

About the gunfight in Mouchwa area of Central Kashmir’s Budgam, the IGP said that acting on a specific input, Srinagar Police, Budgam Police, Army and CRPF laid a siege in the area and during the search, militants fired at the forces triggering a gunbattle on Tuesday evening.

“Today morning, two militants including a Pakistani militant, Ilyas, were killed. The second slain has been identified as Javaid Ahmed from Pulwama,” he said.

The IGP said that the role of Ilyas in highway attacks can not be ruled out and that they are investigating their involvement.

“We gave full opportunity to militants who were trapped at Mouchwa to surrender. However, they refused.”

We give ample time to local boys who get trapped in encounters to lay their weapons. I once again appeal parents to urge their youth who have picked up arms to return to the mainstream and live with their families again,” the IGP said. KNO