Srinagar, November 16: On a specific input generated by Police regarding presence of militants in an illegal call centre in a private building in Hyderpora area of Srinagar, a joint cordon and search operation was launched by Police, 2RR & CRPF in the said area.
In order to show the suspect call centre in the building, owner of the building namely Altaf Ahmad as well as the tenant namely Mudasir Ahmad were also called to accompany the search party. As the search party approached towards a room in top floor of the building, the hiding militants started firing indiscriminately towards the party which was retaliated. However, in the initial exchange of fire, both the individuals accompanying search party received critical gunshot injuries and succumbed to their injuries. In the ensuing encounter, both the militants hiding in the room were killed and their bodies were retrieved from the site of encounter.
The killed militants have been identified as Haider @Bilal Bhai (a foreign Pakistani militant) and his associate Amir Ahmad resident of Banihal (a hybrid militant) who was working earlier as an OGW of LeT Commander.
Preliminary investigation revealed that the killed Mudasir Ahmad was living on rent in the said building and was working as a militant associate and also running an illegal call centre. Incriminating materials, arms and ammunition including 02 pistols, 03 magazines, 06 mobile phones, 01 call centre (06 cabins along with 06 computers, 06 CPUs working network, VOIP enabled) various virtual numbers of foreign numbers, dairies with alpha, beta, gamma codes, 01 US map, cabins and other equipments were recovered from the site of the encounter. Besides, a hideout of militants with warm clothes, snow boots, kitchen equipments, food packets, TV and other necessary equipments like drug bottles, cigarette packets and 04 mobile phones were also recovered.
The recoveries and other digital evidences indicated that a fake call centre was established to provide logistic support to the active militants.
Investigations also revealed that the killed foreign militant Haider was involved in the recent brief shoot out at Jamalatta area of Srinagar and militant associate Mudasir Ahmad facilitated his escape from said spot to this rented location in an Alto-800 car.
Keeping in view the law and order scenario, all the dead bodies of the killed militants, associate and building owner have been sent to Handwara for burial purposes after completion of all medico-legal formalities. Police have registered case under relevant sections of law and further investigation from all the angles have been initiated.