SRINAGAR: Another PhD scholar-turned-militant and his associate was killed in a gunfight with security forces at Nowgam area on the outskirts of Srinagar on Wednesday. Four security men were also injured in the gunfight.
Police, CRPF and Army personnel laid siege around Wanbal in the morning hours after receiving inputs about presence of militants, who fired at a search party. “The fire was returned by troops, triggering an encounter. In the ensuing gunfight, two Hizbul militants were killed,” a police officer said
The slain militants were identified as Sabzar Ahmad Sofi of south Kashmir’s Anantnag district and Asif Ahmed. Sofi had pursued PhD in Botany from Delhi’s Jamia Millia Islamia before he joined the militant ranks. His relatives claimed Sofi had left home on July 8 to attend coaching classes for IAS examination, but did not return. Sofi was involved in many attacks on security establishments and civilian atrocities in Anantnag district, while Asif had joined militant ranks in January, a police officer said. “Incriminating material, including arms and ammunition, were recovered.”
Sofi is the third PhD scholar-turned-militant to be killed in encounter in Kashmir this year. On May 7, PhD scholar and Kashmir University assistant professor Mohammad Rafi Bhat, also with Hizbul, was killed in south Kashmir’s Shopian district. PhD scholar-turned Hizbul militant Mannan Wani was killed in north Kashmir’s Kupwara district on October 11.