In Jammu and Kashmir, security forces killed three Pakistani terrorists in two encounters. Both meetings took place in different locations. The first meeting took place in Srinagar, while the second in Anantnag. In this, the security forces killed the top Pakistani commander of the terrorist organization Lashkar-e-Taiba and two other terrorists. A senior police officer said the LeT commander, identified as Usman, was active in the Kashmir Valley for a decade and was also involved in the murder of Inspector Masroor Wani. In October last year, Masroor Wani was shot dead at point-blank range while playing cricket at Idgah ground.
The officer said Usman was active in the valley for a decade and was involved in many attacks. His murder is a serious blow to Lashkar in Jammu and Kashmir. He said Usman was the most senior Pakistani Lashkar commander here. Four security forces personnel were also injured in the Srinagar encounter. Security forces had launched a cordon and search operation in the densely populated Khanyar area in the city center after receiving information about the presence of terrorists in the area.
A police officer said the search operation turned into an encounter when the terrorists opened fire on the search party, following which retaliation was taken. During the search operation, the house where the terrorists were hiding caught fire and a plume of smoke was seen rising into the sky. Usman died in the encounter. He said two Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) soldiers and two policemen were injured, they were shifted to the Army’s 92 Base Hospital and their condition is said to be stable.
This was the first meeting in Srinagar in the last two years. The last encounter took place in Naugam in September 2022. Two local terrorists from Ansar Ghazwat-ul-Hind were killed in that encounter.
According to PTI, a senior police officer said Usman was also the right-hand man of Pakistan-based Resistance Front (TRF) commander Sajjad Gul. TRF is believed to be a representative organization of Lashkar. The operation in Srinagar ended on Saturday night.
Kashmir Inspector General of Police (IGP) VK Birdi met the injured police officers and CRPF jawans at the hospital and assured them of full help. IGP Birdi also appreciated his important contribution in maintaining peace and security in the area.
Apart from Srinagar, the second encounter took place in south Kashmir’s Anantnag district. Here the security forces killed 2 terrorists. The encounter took place near Halkan Gali in the Shangas-Larnu area. Addressing a press conference after the operation, Brigadier Anirudh Chauhan, commander of the Army’s Second RR Sector, said the slain terrorists belonged to the Popular Anti-Fascist Front (PAFF), which is part of Jaish-e-Mohammed.
Anirudh Chauhan said we were getting information about PAFF activities in Anantnag. This organization had killed territorial army rifleman Hilal Ahmed Bhat on October 8. We received information about the presence of terrorists in Larnu area and an operation was launched. Let us tell you that Ahmed Bhat was one of the two soldiers who were allegedly kidnapped by terrorists during a search operation in Anantnag forest area, while one soldier escaped safely. Bhat’s body was found in Kazwan forest area in Kokernag.
An army officer said two terrorists were killed in the encounter in Anantnag. A large quantity of weapons and ammunition were confiscated from them, including M4s, an AK rifle, a grenade and three improvised explosive devices (IEDs). Both were feared terrorists and were involved in several attacks, including against non-locals.
South Kashmir Range Deputy Inspector General of Police (DIG) Javid Ahmed Mattoo said that as per preliminary investigation, the two terrorists killed in Anantnag have been identified as Zahid Rashid, a resident of Bijbehara, and Arbaaz Mir, a resident by Kaimoh.
The army said that apart from these two encounters, security forces also launched a search operation in north Kashmir’s Bandipora district after noticing the activity of terrorists. The army’s Srinagar-based Chinar Corps unit said troops had noticed “suspicious activities” in the general Panar area of Bandipora on Friday night. The army said that when challenged, the terrorists started shooting indiscriminately and fled into the forest.
