A top Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) commander was among two terrorists who were killed in an encounter with security forces in south Kashmir’s Kulgam district on Sunday, police said.
The encounter in the wee hours of the day broke out after police and Army’s 9-RR jointly launched a search and cordon operation at Cheyan Devsar following inputs about the presence of the terrorists in the area, a police spokesperson said, seeking anonymity.
As the search party approached the spot, the hiding terrorists fired at the forces which immediately retaliated. A CRPF team later joined the operation.
“In the ensuing encounter, two terrorists of proscribed terror outfit LeT, including a Pakistani commander Haider, was killed and their bodies were retrieved from the encounter site. The other killed terrorist was identified as Shahbaz Shah of Kulgam,” the spokesperson said.
Kashmir inspector general of police (IGP) Vijay Kumar called Haider’s killing a big success.
“Both the terrorists were involved in the recent killings of civilians and police personnel... Haider was involved in two recent terror crimes in Bandipora while the second local terrorist Shahbaz Shah was involved in the killing of a civilian belonging to minority community in Kulgam,” Kumar said.
Haider was a categorized terrorist who was active for over two years in north Kashmir and had recently shifted his based to south Kashmir, the spokesperson cited above said.
The LeT commander was also behind the killing of selection grade constable, Mohammad Sultan, and constable Fayaz Ahmad on November 10 at Gulshan Chowk in Bandipora.
“He was also involved in an attack on a check post near Nishat Park in Bandipora on February 11, in which special police officer Zubair Ahmad was killed while four security personnel were injured,” the spokesperson said.
Shahbaz Shah was a hybrid terrorist and involved in the killing of a civilian, Satish Kumar Singh, on April 13 in Kakran area of Kulgam. “After this attack, Shah was categorized,” the spokesperson said.
Several incriminating materials, arms and ammunition, including an Ak-56 with four magazines, a pistol with a magazine and an Under Barrel Grenade Launcher, were recovered from the encounter site.
“All the recovered materials have been taken into case records for further investigation,” the spokesperson said. A case under relevant sections of law has been registered and an investigation has been initiated.
“People are requested to cooperate with police till the area at the encounter site is completely sanitised and cleared of all the explosive materials, if any,” the spokesperson said.
The encounter came two days after a top Hizbul Mujahideen commander and two of his associates were killed in south Kashmir’s Anantnag district.
(With inputs from agencies)