Srinagar: An alleged ‘hybrid’ identified as Sajad Tantary, (age not known) resident of Shirpora, Kulgam, who according to police was arrested and accused of firing at two non-local labourers in Rakhmoman area of Bijbehara, has been killed by unknown militants during an ‘encounter’ (military operation) at Cheki Duddo area in south Kashmir’s Bijbehara on Sunday morning, police said.
Police has upheld that the operation in cheki duddo area was launched on the inputs of the arrested ‘hybrid’ who as per police had confessed and accepted the responsibility of the Rakhmoman attack in which one non-local labourer died and another was injured and during the operation, Sajad was accompaning forces to identify a hideout where militants were present during which "unknown militants present in the hideout fired at the accused ‘hybrid,’ resulting in this death."
At around 3:40 am, Police tweeted “Encounter started at Cheki Dudoo area of Bijbehara in Anantnag district. Police and Army are on job. Details shall follow.”
At 8:04 AM, Police said “When search party reached towards the suspected hideout terrorists opened fire which hit one accused, hybrid terrorist of LeT Sajjad Tantray of Kulgam, who was with search party for identification of hideout. He was rushed to SDH Bijbehara where doctors declared him brought dead.”
In a statement to The Himalayan Post, J&K Police said after two non-local labourers were attacked by suspected militants at Rakhmoman area in Bijbehara, an investigation was started and a ‘hybrid’ militant, Sajad was arrested in the case.
“On 12/13 November 2022, terrorists attacked outside labourers at Rakhmoman Bijbehara in which two labourers got critically injured. Among the injured, one labourer namely Chota Prasad, son of Nethoni Prasad resident of Gorakhpur Khushi Nagar UP succumbed to his injuries on 18/11/2022 while as another Gobind son of Beema resident of Khushinagar UP is still under treatment. In this connection, a case vide FIR No. 194/2022 under relevant sections of law stands already registered in Police station, Bijbehara,” the first clause of the police statement reads.
“During the course of investigation, Police arrested one hybrid terrorist namely Sajad Ahmad Tantray @Furqan son of Mohammad Maqbool Tantray resident of Shirpora Kulgam and during questioning, he confessed of his involvement in the commission of said terror crime by using illegally obtained Pistol which stands recovered on his disclosure,” police statement said.
“The said accused also confessed of having knowledge about the presence of terrorists at Cheki Duddo area of Bijbehara, following which a joint cordon & search operation was launched by Police and Army (3RR),” it said.
“While the search party approached towards the suspected hideout identified by the accused, they came under heavy volume of fire from the hiding terrorists sic. in which the said accused Sajad Ahmad Tantray received critical gunshot injuries,” it reads.
“The injured was immediately shifted to SDH Bijbehara where doctors declared him brought dead. The cordon in the whole area has been strengthened with the help of reinforcement and the search operation in the area is in progress,” it further said.
“It is pertinent to mention that, the accused Sajad was earlier a terrorist associate (which means OGW Over Ground Worker) of proscribed terror outfit LeT )Lashkar-e-toiba) and was involved in Case FIR No. 72/2018 of PS Yaripora, FIR No. 55/2018 of Police Station Yaripora and FIR No. 80/2018 of PS Anantnag. Besides, he was also detained under PSA (public safety act) from June-2019 to December-2019,” the statement added.
Similar pattern was seen when another alleged ‘hybrid’ Imran Ganie was killed last month under police custody and similarly taken out for an operation like today’s encounter in which unknown militants were blamed for the killing.
Earlier, former J&K CM and PDP Chief Mehbooba Mufti demanded ‘Fair investigation’ in the death of Imran Bashir Ganie.
‘Hybrid’ term was introduced by police in-between the controversial Hyderpora encounter 2021. As per police, “a ‘hybrid’ is a half militant who carry out attacks like sleeper cells and lives a normal life within the society.”
Police also say OGWs Over Ground Workers or (newly introduced term terror/militant associates) are more prone to become ‘hybrids.'