Six local terrorists, including a top Lashkar-e-Tayyeba (LeT) commander, were killed in a surgical operation by the security forces in south Kashmir’s Bijbehara pocket on Friday morning. There was no casualty on the security forces side in the operation that triggered protests and shutdown in the area.
Commander of Srinagar based XV Corps Lt Gen AK Bhatt described the encounter as “big achievement” as there was no collateral damage in the “surgical operation.”
The operation was carried out in Setkipora-Shalagund area of Bijbehara in Anantnag district, around 45 kilometers from here.
The slain terrorists included Azad Malik alias Dada Malik, a top commander of LeT outfit. The other five terrorists were also locals from Bijbehara, Anantnag, Awantipora and Pulwama areas of south Kashmir. Malik was among three terrorists who were accused by the police for conspiring and executing the killing plot of noted journalist Shujaat Bukhari in June this year.
Police had said that Pakistani Lashkar Commander Naveed Jutt was also involved in the killing. Jutt had escaped from police custody from a civil hospital in Srinagar after killing two policemen who were escorting him. He surfaced in south Kashmir with a group of terrorists later.
Talking to media persons in Baramulla Gen Bhatt said that the encounter was a “surgical operation and is a big achievement for security agencies” as there were no casualties of forces or civilians in this operation.
Sources said the gunfight erupted in midnight hours as security forces' joint team launched cordon and search operation (CASO) on the basis of specific input about the presence of terrorists in the area. They said as the forces zeroed in on the suspected place and the terrorists hiding inside the area fired indiscriminately towards the forces triggering gunfight.
Police said there was no collateral damage in the counter terrorist operation. “Incriminating materials including huge quantity of arms and ammunition were recovered from the site of encounter. Police has registered a case and initiated investigation in the matter,” police said in a statement. “Citizens are requested not to venture inside the encounter zone since such an area can prove dangerous due to stray explosive materials. People are requested to cooperate with police till the area is completely sanitized and cleared of all the explosives materials,” police said.
Reports said multiple rounds of funeral prayers were held for slain LeT commander Azad Malik at his native village Arwani. Reports said that thousands of people from various areas of the south Kashmir reached Arwani and participated in the funeral prayers. Some terrorists reportedly appeared in the funeral and offered gun salute to the slain commander.
Sources said that Bijbehara and Anantnag towns observed shutdown while the authorities suspended train services in the area.
Clashes between protesters and security forces were also reported near encounter site and Anantnag town. At least three persons were injured in the violent incidents. The mobile internet services also remained affected in many parts of Anantnag district as a precautionary measure.