A Pakistani terrorist affiliated with proscribed terror outfit Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM) was killed in the encounter that broke out between security forces and terrorists in Kulgam district of Jammu and Kashmir, police said on Thursday.
The terrorist has been identified as Babar Bhai of Pakistan who was active since 2018.
Based on specific input regarding the presence of a terrorist in the Pariwan area of Kulgam, a joint cordon and search operation was launched on Wednesday evening by Police and Army (34RR) in the said area.
While evacuating the civilians from the encounter site to safer places, one police personnel, three Army soldiers and two civilians also got injured.
"All the injured were immediately shifted to the hospital for treatment. However police personnel senior grade constable Rohit Chibb succumbed to his injuries and attained martyrdom. The condition of other injured including two civilians who had sustained minor injuries is stated to be stable," the police said.
In the ensuing encounter, one top Pakistani JeM terrorist Babar Bhai was killed and his body was retrieved from the site of the encounter.
As per police records, the killed terrorist was a categorized terrorist active since the year 2018 in the areas of Shopian-Kulgam and its adjoining areas. He was wanted by law in several terror crime cases.
"Incriminating materials, arms and ammunition including one AK-47 rifle, one Pistol and two grenades were also recovered from the site of encounter. All the recovered materials have been taken into case records for further investigation," the police said.
Inspector-General of Police, Kashmir, Vijay Kumar accompanied by Deputy Inspector General of Police South Kashmir Range (SKR) and Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) Kulgam visited the encounter site and SOG camp Nillow Kulgam, where besides interacting with JKP, Army and CRPF personnel, he also reviewed the security grid and operational aspects.
The IGP Kashmir while interacting with media at Kulgam said, "The owner and his family members where the killed terrorist was hiding deliberately misled the search team by saying that no terrorist was hiding in their house which led to collateral damage. Therefore, action under terror law will be taken against them."
He also said that so far 14 terrorists have been neutralized during the current year out of which seven are foreign terrorists including one killed at Line of Control (LOC) in Kupwara.
The IGP Kashmir paid tributes to the martyred Police Personnel who made supreme sacrifice in the line of duty and also prayed for the speedy recovery of the injured.
He has congratulated the joint forces for eliminating the most wanted Pakistani terrorist.
Police have registered a case under relevant sections of law and an investigation has been initiated.
"People are requested to cooperate with Police till the area at the encounter site is completely sanitized and cleared of all the explosive materials if any," the police added.
( With inputs from ANI )
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