Top Lashkar commander among three militants killed in Pulwama

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IED detected, defused in Kulgam

A major tragedy was averted as security forces detected and destroyed an improvised explosive device (IED) planted by militants under a tree on the outskirts of Damjen village in the Qazigund area of Kulgam district,” the J&K Police said. The area was immediately cordoned off and a bomb disposal squad defused and destroyed the IED.

Tribune News Service

New Delhi, July 14

The security forces today neutralised a Pakistani commander of the Lashkar-e-Toiba (LeT) and his two local accomplices in an encounter in south Kashmir’s Pulwama district.

“Pakistani LeT commander Aijaz, alias Abu Huraira, has been killed along with two local terrorists. Congratulations to the police and security forces,” Inspector General of Police, Kashmir Zone, Vijay Kumar tweeted after the operation.

A police spokesman said a cordon and search operation was launched on Tuesday night by a joint team of the J&K police, Army and the CRPF following inputs about the presence of terrorists in Pulwama town.

“During the search operation, civilians were evacuated to safer places. When the presence of terrorists was ascertained, they were given an opportunity to surrender. However, they fired indiscriminately upon the joint search party, which was retaliated leading to an encounter,” he said.

He said the operation was suspended due to darkness but the cordon remained intact. “Taking advantage of the darkness, the terrorists tried to escape but failed. In the wee hours, repeated announcements were again made to the terrorists to surrender, but they again fired on the joint search party and the fire was retaliated,” the spokesman added.

In the ensuing gunfight, he said, three terrorists of the LeT were killed and their bodies retrieved from the encounter site.

“Besides LeT commander Aijaz, a resident of Pakistan, the other two terrorists have been identified as Javeed Ahmad Rather, a resident of Tahab in Pulwama, and Shahnawaz Nazir Ganie, a resident of Samboora in Awantipora,” the spokesman said.

As per police records, the slain were part of a group involved in various terror crimes for which cases stand registered against them, he said.

“Aijaz had a history of terror cases. He was instrumental in recruiting innocent youth, besides planning and executing several terror attacks, including those on police and security establishments in the area,” the spokesman said.

He said two AK rifles and a pistol and other incriminating material were recovered from the encounter site. (Inputs from PTI)