‘We lost encounter specialist in Panthachowk gunfight’: Dilbagh Singh

Director-General of Police (DGP) J&K, Dilbagh Singh Sunday said that J&K Police has lost encounter specialist in Panthachowk gunfight who had played a key role in numerous successful anti-militancy operation in Valley.
Talking to reporters in Srinagar on the sidelines of a wreath-laying ceremony of slain ASI of SOG J&K Police, Babu Ram, the DGP said the Ram was a brave cop and encounter specialist.
According to reports, DGP said “He was well trained and had taken part in much anti-militancy operation in Valley”, DGP said, and adding with the killing of Babu Ram, J&K Police has lost valiant cop and an encounter specialist.
DGP said that during late hours of Saturday three bike-borne militants fired upon the joint party of police and CRPF at a check point in Panthachowk, outskirts of Srinagar city.
“It was actually a weapon snatching bid that was foiled by the alert troops, forcing the militants to leave behind their bike and take shelter in a nearby Dhobi Mohalla”, DGP said.
He said soon after the incident, the teams of SOG and CRPF acted swiftly and cordoned the area till senior officers of police and CRPF joined. “The operation continued for overnight and in the initial exchange of fire, one militant was killed and JKP also lost a brave heart soldier ASI Babu Ram”, he said and adding as the operation progressed, we killed two more militants hiding in the area.
He claimed that the three slain militants belonged to LeT and one of them was a commander for over a year. He added forces used its professionalism and tried to persuade militants to surrender but they refused and fired. “We brought the families of two others from Pampora locality who appealed their children to give up arms but they refused and fired upon forces indiscriminately.
“One AK-47 and few pistols were recovered from the possession of slain militants,” DGP said, and adding police is investigating the role of slain militants into the attack in the Nowgam area that happened on August 14 and nothing can be said at this juncture.