SRINAGAR: Hizbul Mujahideen’s poster boy Burhan Wani killed in encounter with security forces in Kokernag in Anantnag district, Jammu and Kashmir Police Chief K Rajendra said on Friday.
Wani was killed with two other terrorists, the sources said.
The shootout began when terrorists began firing at a joint team of police and the Army, who had launched a search operation in Bumdoora village in Kokernag after they received intelligence reports of terrorists hiding in the area, a police official said.
Known to be one of the most prominent faces of the militant outfit, Wani is believed to have inspired several youngsters into joining the outlawed group.
Burhan is the most wanted militant in Kashmir and has posted videos and pictures on social networking sites including Facebook to lure youth to militancy. His pictures in fatigues and rifles and video giving sermon to people about Jihad had gone viral in the Valley.
21-year-old Burhan, who is son of a government school principal and hails from Tral area of Pulwama, carries a reward of Rs 10 lakh on his head.
According to police about 30 youth have joined Hizbul Mujahideen in South Kashmir this year.
On October 23 last, police and army had shot dead two Hizb militants Adil Khanday and Irshad Ahmad Sheikh, both residents of South Kashmir’s Shopian district, during a gunfight in Shopian.
Both Adil and Irshad were associates of Burhan and had appeared in videos with Burhan circulated on the social media.
On October 26, police’s anti-militancy Special Operations Group (SOG) and army killed two Hizbul Mujahideen militants during a gunfight in Drubgam village of South Kashmir’s Pulwama district. An army man was also killed in the gunfight.
The slain militants were identified as Afaq Ahmed Bhat and Manan Ahmed Dar, both locals. Afaq is son of a police officer.
Police said both the militants had joined militancy few months back and were associates of Burhan Wani.
Geelani calls for shutdown
Srinagar: Asking people to attend the funeral procession of slain Hizb-ul-Mujahideen terrorist Burhan Muzaffar Wani, Chairman Hurriyat (G) Syed Ali Geelani called for complete shutdown on Saturday.
In a tele statement issued to a Srinagar based news agency, Geelani asked people to reach Burhan’s native place Tral to attend his funeral procession.