India’s most wanted militant and Jaish-e-Muhammad chief Masood Azhar’s close relative was among three terrorists killed in a fierce gun battle in south Kashmir. A soldier was also killed in the 4-hour gunfight that also led to maiden recovery of a US-made carbine colt rifle. Police said they would take up the matter with Pakistani authorities through appropriate channels to hand over the body of their national.
The encounter took place late on Monday evening and the identification of the slain militants revealed that one of them was Talha Rasheed, nephew of Jaish chief and ideologue Maulana Masood Azhar, who had infiltrated to Kashmir in August along-with a large group of fidayeen. Masood Azhar has himself been active in south Kashmir in early 1990s before he was arrested. He was later released in exchange of passengers of a hijacked Indian place in 1999. He later floated Jaish-e-Muhammad.
Besides Rasheed, Mehmood Bhai, ‘divisional commander’ of Jaish and a local terrorist Waseem Ganai of Pulwama were killed in the encounter at Aglar Kandi village of Pulwama, 45 kilometers from Srinagar. A 44-Rashtriya Rifles soldier Sepoy Vrahma Pal Singh (30) of Bulandshahr UP was also killed in the gunfight. Police said Talha was active in south Kashmir region for the past more than three months after he infiltrated into Kashmir leading a group of fidayeen terrorists. Jaish outfit confirmed his presence after he was eliminated.
Sources said Mehmood Bhai and Talha had planned the recent attacks in Pulwama including an atrocious attack on District Police lines that left eight soldiers dead. This is the second incident when close relatives of top-ranking militant ideologues were killed in Kashmir. In January, security forces shot dead Abu Musaib, nephew of Zaki-ur-Rahman lakhvi, the mastermind of Mumbai terror attacks during a gunfight in Hajin village of north Kashmir’s Bandipora district, which has off late emerged as the main hub of lashkar-e-Tayyeba terrorists.
Inspector General of Police (Kashmir range) Munir Ahmad Khan said they will ask Pakistan to collect the body of Azhar's nephew.
"We will ask Pakistan through proper channel to collect the body," Khan said at a press conference attended by commander of Victor Force Maj Gen BS Raju and CRPF’s provincial chief Zulfikar Hassan. Police said a US-made M4 carbine colt rifle and AK-47 Draco rifle was recovered from the slain militants’ possession that highlights link between Jaish outfit and Pakistan army.
“The M4 weapon is used by NATO forces as well as by the Special Forces of the Pakistan Army. We have reason to believe that this particular weapon was given to JeM cadre by the Pakistan Army, clearly showing the complicity between the Pakistani forces and the Jaish-e-Mohammed and it nefarious designs in Kashmir," Maj Gen Raju said. “There could be 5–10 such weapons brought in by infiltrating militants.” Khan said.
This is for the first tiome that such rifle has been recovered from Kashmiri militants. last week, a militants’ photograph holding this rifle went viral on internet sending intelleigence agencies on a tizzy to know the origin and route of their ingress into Kashmir.