Two local terrorists belonging to Ansar Gazwat uL Hind (AuGH) and Lashkar-e Tayyeba (LeT) were eliminated by the joint team of security forces in Tral area of Awantipora on Wednesday. Around 66 terrorists belonging to Jaish-e- Mohammad and LeT have been neutralised by the security forces in the last four months across Kashmir valley.
Meanwhile, a driver of a local tourist van from Jammu was critically injured in a mysterious blast in the parking area of Botanical gardens in Srinagar. The Resistance Front, a shadow outfit of the Pakistan based Lashkar-e-Tayyeba, has claimed responsibility for the blast.
"Had already warned to carry out a surprise attack in Srinagar. The Cadre of Falcon Squad TRF carried out the IED blast (Magnetic) at Tulip/Botanical Garden area", the TRF statement circulated in the social media claimed.
However, Srinagar police have said that the prima facie blast appears to be accidental in nature, probably caused due to a cylinder or other pressure equipment failure. "FSL team is on job and checking the vehicle to rule out any other probability," they added.
According to an eyewitness account, soon after dropping the tourists the driver of the ill fated van identified as Amjad Ali had parked his vehicle in the parking area. Around 2.35 p.m when he approached the rear door of the vehicle a powerful blast took place in which he received grievous injuries. Lying in a pool of blood several other fellow drivers shifted Ali to a nearby hospital. The condition of the driver, hailing from Nagrota, was stated to be critical. He has been kept on ventilator support, confirmed local hospital authorities.
Referring to the killing to two terrorists in Awantipora, a police spokesman in a statement said the operation in the area of Tral, Awantipora was launched late Tuesday night. During the ongoing search operations while the security forces were zeroing on the targeted hideout the hiding terrorists opened indiscriminate firing on the search party leading to an encounter.
According to a police spokesman," one terrorist was neutralized and another was holed up. Meanwhile, reinforcements of Army (42RR) & 180Bn CRPF reached the encounter site and joined the operation. The joint team later neutralized the second holed up terrorist and the bodies were retrieved from the site of encounter. They have been identified as Umar Nabi Teli @Talha son of Ghulam Nabi Teli resident of Ladoo Khrew and Shafat Muzaffar Sofi @Muavia son of Muzaffar Ahmad Sofi resident of Batagund Tral, police spokesman added.
As per police records, both the killed terrorists were categorized terrorists and linked with proscribed terror outfits AuGH and LeT and involved in several terror crime cases including attacks on security forces and civilian atrocities. Before shifting to Tral area, both the killed terrorists were involved in several terror crimes in Srinagar city including recent killing of Sarpanch (Sameer Ahmad) in Khanmoh Srinagar.