A total number of six terrorists including a top commander of Jaish-e-Mohammad (JeM), a Pakistani national, were gunned down by the joint teams of security forces while one Army jawan attained martyrdom, three others sustained injuries and a civilian also lost his life in two separate gunfights in South Kashmir districts of Pulwama and Shopian on Thursday.
Meanwhile, another fierce gunbattle between terrorists and security forces was going on till the time of filing the report in Kandi area of North Kashmir’ Kupwara district.
To register their presence, separatists have also issued a call for shutdown on Friday against the recent killings in the month of Ramzan.
According to police spokesman, “three terrorists were killed in Dalipora area of Pulwama and three others in Handew area of Shopian on Thursday”.
On the other hand, violent protests were reported from several parts of Pulwama soon after the gunfight got over.
To contain the law and order situation, the district authorities imposed curfew like restrictions in Pulwama town and surrounding villages. Mobile internet services were also snapped as a precautionary measure.
The police have identified the slain JeM commander as Khalid Bhai, a Pakistani national. The local terrorists were identified as Naseer Ahmad Pandith and Umar Ahmad Mir.
Sepoy Sandeep Kumar of the Army’s 55 Rashtriya Rifles laid down his life during the gun fight, police spokesman said.
According to police spokesman, “a cordon & search operation was launched by the joint teams of security forces on the basis of credible intelligence input on Thursday morning at Dalipora area in Pulwama district”
“As the police and security forces were evacuating civilians from the neighbourhood area around the target house, the hiding terrorists fired indiscriminately. “One Army Jawan Sepoy Sandeep attained martyrdom and one civilian Rayees Dar also lost his life”, said police spokesman.
After the security forces retaliated, three terrorists were killed in the ensuing encounter and their bodies were retrieved from the site of encounter.
As per police records Khalid who was operating as commander of proscribed terror outfit JeM was involved in several terror attacks on security establishments and civilian atrocities in the area. Many terror crime cases were registered against him.
Police spokesman said, Naseer Pandith had a long history of terror crime records before joining terrorist organisation and several terror crime cases were registered against him for planning & executing terror attacks in the area after joining proscribed terror outfit JeM. He was also involved in the killing of a policeman Mohammad Yaqoob Shah of Pulwama in 2018 on the eve of Eid. He was also involved in some weapon snatching incidents reported from the area besides several cases were registered against him for his criminal activities including case FIR No 30/15 & 277/14 under NDPS Act and case FIR No 25/16 pertaining to forgery.
Similarly,Umar Mir was also involved in several terror attacks and was part of terror groups responsible for attacks on security forces.
According to police spokesman, “a separate operation was launched in Handew area of Shopian after receiving the reports of presence of terrorists in the area.
During the search operation, the hiding terrorists fired on the search party. In the initial exchange of fire one army jawan identified as Sepoy Rohit also sustained injuries. He has been hospitalised and is undergoing treatment. The fire was retaliated leading to an encounter.
In the ensuing encounter, 3 terrorists were killed and the bodies were retrieved from the site of encounter.
“Incriminating materials including arms & ammunition was recovered from the site of encounter. All these materials have been taken in the case records for further investigation and to probe their complicity in other terror crime cases”, police spokesman said.