Jammu, August 6
On the run ever since Delhi High Court blast on September 7 last year, security forces today gunned down prime accused Amir Kamal, a self-styled “area commander” of the Hizbul Mujahideen (HM), along with his associate Mohammed Shafi Hajam in a fierce gun-battle in Kishtwar district, some 240 km from here this morning.

The security forces caught alive Kamal’s another associate Rizwan, also an HM ultra.

The High Court blast had left 15 persons dead and over 80 injured.

“Acting on a tip off, troops of 17 Rashtriya Rifles and police cordoned off Trothil forest belt in Pinjrari area of Dachhan in Kishtwar district this morning,” said an Army spokesperson. In the gun-battle that started around 9.30 am and lasted for over three hours both the ultras were neutralised, he added.

The spokesperson identified the slain militants as 25-year old Amir Ali, alias Amir, aka Akram and his close associated Mohammed Shafi Hajam. An AK-47 assault rifle, a pistol, three AK magazines and some other ammunition were recovered from the site of encounter, he informed.

DIG Ramban-Kishtwar-Doda Range, Garib Dass told The Tribune that Amir Kamal was prime accused in Delhi HC blast.

“We all know that this group involved in the Delhi High Court blast was active in the Marwah-Dachhan-Pyas-Chichha area and we have been tracking it since long. It is a big success for us,” said the DIG.

“While Amir Kamal and Shafi Hajam were killed in the encounter, we succeeded in catching alive their associate Sajad Ahmed Mir, alias Rizwan,” added the DIG.

After National Investigation Agency traced the roots of Delhi High Court blast to a cyber café in Kishtwar town, it had been desperately trying to track down Amir Ali Kamal, Junaid Akram Malik and Shakir Hussain Sheikh, alias Chota Hafiz.

The trio was involved in September 7 blast outside Delhi High Court last year. On October 25 last year, the NIA had issued a notice and announced Rs 10 lakh for information leading to their arrests.

“Now Junaid Akram Malik, Shakir Hussain, alias Chota Hafiz, and their associate Jehangir are to be dealt with,” said the DIG, adding “they are operating in a different area and we are after them.”

IGP, Jammu zone, Dilbag Singh said, “Since Amir Kamal was area commander of the HM in Kishtwar, we had been trying to catch him alive to know more about the network of the terror outfit and, therefore, he had been taking advantage of it.”

Had it not been so, he would have been killed in a similar encounter in July 2010, added the IGP.