Security forces shot dead a top-ranking militant of banned lashkar-e-Tayyeba (leT) group in an ongoing encounter at Kakapora village in south Kashmir’s Pulwama district. late in the night, a deafening blast occurred at the encounter site even as security forces tightened cordon to block holed up militants’ chances of escape.
Police said that acting on a tip-off about presence of militants in a local house at around 4:15 pm on Thursday, security forces cordoned off Asthan Mohalla locality of Kakapora in Pulwama district, around 30 Kms in South of Srinagar headquarters. Sources said that the militants opened fire on noticing the search party in an attempt to escape. The police and security forces immediately called for reinforcements and cordon was tightened in the area.
During the ensuing encounter top-ranking leT militant Talib Afzal Shah was killed. locals said the slain militant was a postgraduate and had done professional sports course also. Police said that one or two militants were believed to be inside the hideout.
Defence spokesman said the operation was continuing till late in the night. Sources said that soon after the cordon was laid in the area, locals shouted slogans and pelted stones on security personnel to help militants escape from the scene.
A police spokesman said that slain leT commander was involved in a number of terrorist activities. “He (Talib) was involved in firing incident at Pampore in which 7 BSF personnel got injured. He was also involved in Galander attack in which 2 police personnel and one civilian got killed. Talib was also involved in Puchal incident in which One Head Constable of railway police was killed. He was involved in Pahu incident in which one CRPF man was killed and others including CRPF inspector, 2 civilians got injured. A number of FIR’s are registered against the slain militant,” the spokesman said in a statement.
Sources said that at around 9.30 pm, a deafening blast occurred at the encounter site, which brought lull to the intermittent exchange of fire.