A self-styled top commander of The Resistance Front (TRF)- an offshoot of Lashkar-e-Toiba (LeT) terror outfit, Mehran Yaseen Shalla, among the three terrorists were eliminated in a brief encounter in the Rambagh area of Srinagar city.
Shalla, a dreaded terrorist infamous for targeted killings, was involved in recent selective killings in Srinagar city. He was also involved in the gruesome killings of two teachers including the principal of a school in Srinagar city and the newly recruited sub-inspector of J&K Police.
After the Hyderpora gun battle, which triggered controversy, this is the first encounter in the Srinagar city which lasted only for a few minutes.
Who is Mehran Shalla?
According to police killed terrorist Mehran Yaseen had a long history of terror crimes and was wanted by law for his involvement in several terror crimes including a grenade attack at Barbar Shah Srinagar on June 26, 2021, in which one civilian namely Mudasir Ahmad Bhat resident of Hanjigund Beerwah got killed and three other civilians got critically injured.
He was also involved in the killing of Meeran Ali Sheikh at Bulbul Lanker Nawa Kadal in July. Mehran Shall was also involved in the killing of a newly recruited Sub-Inspector of J&K Police.
On September 12, a group of terrorists killed a sub-inspector of Jammu and Kashmir Police after firing at him from a point-blank range.
The deceased sub-inspector Arshid Ahmad was a native of the Kalmona area of north Kashmir's Kupwara district and was serving as probationary sub-inspector at Khanyar Police Station. Recruited as sub-inspector in 2019, Arshid was posted first time in a police station after training.
Involved in killing principal, teacher of Sangam higher secondary school
According to police, Shalla was involved in the killing of school Principal Supinder Kour and teacher Deepak Chand of Government Higher Secondary School, Khankah Noorbagh Sangam on October 7.
Two terrorists entered into principal's office when a routine morning meeting was going on to finalize activities at the school. They asked all teachers to come out of the office.
All teachers of the school were lined up. Without any fear of police or security forces, terrorists virtually conducted identity parades of the teaching community, checked their identity cards and mobile phones. All teachers were interrogated by terrorists who were carrying pistols and other weapons.
Terrorists separated two teachers of minority communities from other teachers who belong to the majority community. They dragged both Supinder Kour and Deepak Chand into the premises. In front of students and other staff members, both the teachers were killed in the school compound.
After killing both the teachers, the terrorists easily walked away from the spot without any intervention.
Another killed terrorist was also involved in selective killing
According to police before joining in terror ranks, several cases regarding his involvement in stone-pelting incidents are also registered against Shalla.
Moreover, the other killed terrorist Arafat Ahmad was also involved in several terror crime cases including the killing of a labourer at the Litter area of Pulwama in October.
As per police records, the terrorists were linked with proscribed terror outfit LeT (TRF) and part of the group involved in several terror crime cases including attacks on security forces and civilian atrocities.
How terrorists were eliminated in a brief encounter
According to police acting swiftly on specific input regarding the movement of terrorists in the Rambagh area of Srinagar, a small team from Srinagar Police signalled a suspected Santro vehicle to stop. However, the terrorists started firing indiscriminately on the police party from inside the car while trying to flee from the spot under the cover of firing. The fire was however effectively retaliated leading to a gunfight.
"In the ensuing gunfight, three terrorists got killed and identified as terrorist commander of proscribed terror outfit LeT (TRF) Mehran Yaseen Shalla resident of Jamalatta Srinagar, Manzoor Ahmad Mir resident of Babhar Pulwama and Arafat Ahmad Sheikh resident of Nikloora Pulwama", police stated in an official statement.
