They were repeatedly asked to surrender, two slain youth were hardcore militants, one was cousin brother slain Hizb commander, trio was tasked to attack forces convoy, say police officials

Srinagar,  Dec 30: The families of militants killed in an encounter at Lawaypora on Srinagar outskirts Wednesday staged a protest outside Police Control Room (PCR) Srinagar, alleging that slain were not militants and two of the three youth killed had left their homes yesterday only for some work.

According to the news agency—KNO, the families of two slain militants assembled outside PCR here and staged a protest.

The families said that slain Athar and Junaid from South Kashmir’s Pulwama district were innocent and had left home yesterday to get admission in a tuition point here for Class 12th session. “Both are students and appeared in the Class 11th examinations,” cousin brother of Athar told. The families demanded justice and appealed the higher ups to look into the matter.

A police officer said the slain militants were repeatedly offered surrender but they refused. “One of them lobbed grenade at the outset. Two of the slain militants were hardcore militants with one of them being a cousin brother of slain Hizbul Mujahideen commander Rayees Kachroo,” he said, wishing not to be named.

He said that one AK-47 riffle, and two pistols were recovered from the slain. “Third one may have been a new militant recruit and families may not have been knowing about his activities,” he said. The official said intelligence inputs suggest that the trio were tasked to target forces convoy on the Srinagar-Baramulla highway and that’s why they choose a location close to the highway to take shelter—(KNO)