Four people were killed in the Monday night gunfight in Hyderpora area of Srinagar. According to Kashmir’s Inspector General of Police (IGP) Kashmir, Vijay Kumar, these include two militants including a foreigner identified as Haider/Bilal Bhai, a local named Mudasir Gul who the police termed to be an Over Ground Worker (OGW) or “militant associate”, and the building owner identified as Altaf Ahmed, who has also been named as Altaf Ahmed Bhat in some media reports.

The IGP held a press conference at Police Control Room (PCR) Srinagar, and said that after receiving a tip off on the presence of militants near national highway at Hyderpora, “Police, CRPF and the army laid a cordon and when the suspected spot was zeroed in, militants fired indiscriminately at the forces.” 

Kashmir Police also shared details on social media:

#SrinagarEncounterUpdate: The house owner who was injured in terrorist fire, succumbed to his injuries. #Terrorists have been hiding on top floor of his building. As per source and digital evidence, he has been working as #terror associate. Search is still going on: IGP Kashmir https://t.co/rRfPbiqq1C

— Kashmir Zone Police (@KashmirPolice) November 15, 2021

IGP Kumar said that Haider/Bilal Bhai and his local associate possibly, from Banihal area of Jammu, were killed in the gunfight. He added, “We have called a family from Banihal to identify the slain.”

He said that the building owner may have been killed in the “cross-fire”. He said, “It is not clear whether militant bullets or the bullets fired by forces hit him. Militants were carrying pistols and it would be clear after investigations whose bullet hit him.”

The fourth person killed was an OGW who had allegedly provided space to Haider to use as a “militant hideout.” He added that Mudasir Gul, who was living on rent in the building, had provided shelter to Haider and his associate and so, “This way he was harbouring militants. Mudasir was also involved in ferrying Haider from the recent attack site of Jamalatta Srinagar where a police man was injured.” He further said that Mudasir was a businessman/contractor by profession, and was also running a call centre.

Mudasir’ family has denied the charges and demanded justice.

Family of Dr Mudasir held a demonstration at #Srinagar‘s Press Colony.
Claimed Mudasir, who was among those killed in #Kashmir last night, was not involved in militancy as claimed by police.
Four people were killed last night in #Srinagar.pic.twitter.com/SD6PRgrPwZ

— Azaan Javaid (@AzaanJavaid) November 16, 2021

A relative of Dr Mudassir accompanied by his father in law denied police claims that he was an OGW and said that he left his home yesterday in the morning for office and today morning they were told that he was killed in a “gunfight”. They demand justice. #Kashmir pic.twitter.com/92W1OVmh2V

— Muhammad Raafi (@MohammadRaafi) November 16, 2021

According to a report in Greater Kashmir, the IGP stated that  two pistols, two magazines, half-a-dozen mobile phones and a few computers were recovered from the encounter site. However the police did not hand over Altaf Ahmed’s body to his family, because according to IGP Kumar, “There was an apprehension of law and order.”

Altaf and Mudasir were buried in Handwara in northern Kashmir, reported GK. For the last two years, police in Kashmir do not hand over the bodies of militants killed in encounters to the family for last rites citing their funerals create a law and order situation, according to a report in News18.

However, Altaf Ahmed’s family have denied the police claim that he had any links with militants. According to News18, Altaf’s family has said that he was used as a human shield and had no links with any militant group, and have demanded justice for him. Police officials said that he was injured in a terrorist fire and later succumbed to his injuries. “As per source and digital evidence, he has been working as a terror associate,” said IGP Kumar. 

But the family of Altaf Ahmad, a shopkeeper who owned the multi-storey building, alleged that he “was used as a human shield during the gunbattle.” His niece Saima Bhat, said, “My uncle has been murdered. He was used as a human shield in a staged encounter. He runs a hardware shop and owns the complex where the forces had come for checking.”

These allegations are grave and merit speedy investigation. Least @JmuKmrPolice could do is handover the dead body to the family for a decent burial. Are even dead ones a threat to peace now? https://t.co/QEE4mLlpVj

— J&K PDP (@jkpdp) November 15, 2021

His daughters also said the same and recounted the sequence of events.

“How shall I explain it to my brother. He is much younger than I am. He doesnt know anything. He is so attached to his father and so am I.” Daughter of Altaf Ahmed who was killed in an Hyderpora encounter. pic.twitter.com/5ILXTGP86D

— Basit Zargar (باسط) (@basiitzargar) November 16, 2021

Daughter of Altaf Ahamad Bhat who was killed in Hyderpora Srinagar encounter talking to media.#kashmir pic.twitter.com/mHbcjGnmAy

— kamran yousuf (@kamranyousuf_) November 16, 2021

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