Pulwama encounter: Teenager Natish Shakeel Wani, 17, 'who went missing' a week ago, killed during gunbattle

Pulwama encounter: Natish Shakeel Wani was killed during gunbattle with forces today.

A 17-year-old teenage boy, who went missing from on 16th April, was among the three LeT terrorists Killed in Pulwama Encounter, police said today. Natish Shakeel Wani went missing from Srinagar's Khaniyar area 8 days ago, and today, his dead body was recovered from the encounter spot in Pulwama's Pahoo village. According to police, he was one of the three LeT terrorists who were killed in a gunfight in Pulwama.

Kumar confirmed that the teenager Natish Shakeel Wani of Baba Demb (Khanyar) was among the killed terrorists. The teenager had left for afternoon (Zuhr) prayers on April 16 and had been missing since then. While family had issued appeal to him to return, he apparantly joined terrorist ranks.
His family appealed him to return home through a video which was social media.

Kumar added: "The two other terrorists include Arif Hazar alias Rehan who was deputy to the outfit's top commander Basit, while the third militant has been identified as ‘Haqqani’ of Pakistan."

IGP Vijay Kumar told Zee News: "Rehan was recruited by LeT(TRF ) ex-chief Abbas Sheikh, who got killed earlier, and was part of killer group of Late terrorist Mehran. After killing of Mehran, Bashit became no 1 and Arif Hazar @ Rehan no 2".

The IGP also identified other militant as Arif Hazar and said that he was involved in the killing of inspector Parvez, Sub Inspector Arshad and mobile shop owner in Srinagar.  

“Arif Hazar alias Rehan, deputy of LeT’s top cmdr (Basit) killed in Pulwama Encounter. (He was) involved in killings of Insp Parvez in front of mosque, SI Arshad & 1 mobile shop owner in downtown.  Several FIRs against him in Srinagar city,” IGP Kashmir said in a tweet.

Top police officer said that the youth joining terrorist “leads to destruction of families and nothing else.”  

Srinagar police Tweeted: “Teenager from Khanyar, Srinagar who joined (terrorists) ranks a week ago killed in an encounter in Pulwama, Longwith two other, “Active (terrorist) exploit gullible youths for their own ulterior motives. Such madness by youths leads to destruction of families and nothing else,” it added.

It's the second teenager who got killed in last 4 days earlier a 17-year-old Faisal got killed in encounter in Malwah village of Baramullah along the top lashkar commander Mohammad Yosuf kantroo. His family were seen screaming and appealing him to surrender. Even his father was facilitated by police to make surrender appeal on loudspeaker to him.