Srinagar 10 March (KNB): Killing of Al-Badr Operational Chief Gani Khawaja in an encounter which took place yesterday in Sopore, was a big success said Inspector General of Police (Kashmir) today.
Sopore police had the information about Khawaja and his two associates being hidden in Tujjar area and accordingly informed Army and CRPF, he said, while addressing a press conference in Srinagar.
Once the cordon was initiated by Sopore Police, the hiding militants opened fire upon them and the encounter started, IGP said, adding that afterwards Teams of Army and CRPF joined in the operation.
He said that during the encounter Gani Khawaja was killed but two of his militant associates fled from the area as the encounter had started.
Providing more information about Gani Khawaja, IGP said that he had gone to Pakistan for training in 2000 and had come back in 2002.
“He was active for 5 years in north Kashmir and afterwards in 2007, he was arrested by the Police and was under detention,” IGP said, adding that Khawaja was also booked under PSA.
Vijay Kumar said that in 2008, Khawaja was released.
“From 2008 to December 2017, Khawaja was working as an Over Ground Worker and in 2018 got active again,” he said.
IGP further said that after 5 August 2019, He (Khawaja) left the HM militant outfit and joined Al-Badr as the Chief.
Vijay Kumar said that since 2020, Pakistan has activated the Al-Badr militant outfit and recruited young people again, mostly in south Kashmir.
He said the young militants of Al-Badr outfit that have been killed in the past were recruited by Khawaja only.
Moreover, his work was to receive and settle militants coming from Pakistan, in north Kashmir and south Kashmir.
Khawaja’s killing is a big success for police, as he was the main man behind all logistics of the militant outfit.
He further congratulated the Sopore Police and Security forces.
One Ak47 and other ammunition was recovered from the encounter site, he added. (KNB)