Jammu and Kashmir Police on Sunday said that three terrorists including a deputy commander of Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) and a Pakistani terrorist were killed in an encounter with security forces in Jammu and Kashmir's Pulwama district.
The killed terrorists have been identified as Deputy of LeT's top commander Basit Arif Ahmad Hazar alias Rehan, Pakistani terrorist Abu Huzaifa alias Haqqani and Natish Wani alias Haider resident of Khanyar, Srinagar.
Based on specific inputs about the presence of terrorists in the Pahoo area of Pulwama, a joint cordon and search operation was launched by Police and Army (50RR) in the said area.
He said the search operation turned into an encounter after the militants fired upon the security personnel, who retaliated.
The Police said that the search operation turned into an encounter after the hiding terrorists fired indiscriminately fired upon the search party, who retaliated. Later on, CRPF also joined the operation.
"In the ensuing encounter, three terrorists linked with proscribed terror outfit LeT were killed and their bodies were retrieved from the site of encounter," said police.
As per police records, all the killed terrorists were part of groups involved in several terror crime cases including attacks on Police, Security Forces and civilian atrocities.
The police further said that the killed terrorist Arif Hazar was a categorized terrorist, active since March 2021 and involved in several terror crime cases including attacks on Police/SFs and civilians.
Several cases were registered against him in Srinagar city.
"He was involved in the killing of Inspector Parvez in front of a mosque at Menganwari Nowgam on June 22, 2021, killing of PSI Arshid Ahmad Mir near PS Khanyar on 12-09-2021, killing of police personnel Javaid Ahmad at Saidapora Eidgah on June 17, 2021, killing of mobile shop owner Umar Nazir Bhat at Main Chowk Habba Kadal on 23-06-2021, killing of civilian Mohammad Shafi Dar at SD Colony Batamaloo, killing of civilian Rouf Ahmad Khan outside his house at Mejinpora Safakadal on 22-12-2021," said police in a statement,
Besides, he was also involved in grenade attacks on Police Patrolling Party at Safakadal and the joint Naka party at Rainawari.
Moreover, he along with his associates was also involved in an attack on a BJP leader's residence at Aribagh, Nowgam Srinagar. In this terror attack, one police personnel Rameez Raja attained martyrdom and his service rifle was also snatched. He was also involved in the attack on two outside labourers at the Suthsoo Kalan area of Nowgam on April 22, 2022.
The police also recovered incriminating materials, arms and ammunition from the site of the encounter. All the recovered materials have been taken into case records for further investigation.
IGP Kashmir termed this operation a big success and congratulated the joint forces for carrying out the anti-terrorist operation in a professional manner without any collateral damage.
The police also requested to cooperate with them till the area at the encounter site is completely sanitized and cleared of all the explosive materials.
A case under relevant sections of law has been registered and an investigation has been initiated.
( With inputs from ANI )
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