In a major success, the mastermind of the terror attack on Amarnath pilgrims in Anantnag in July this year, lashkar-e-Tayyeba (leT) “chief commander” Abu Ismail, was shot dead in an encounter with security forces in Nowgam on the outskirts of Srinagar on Thursday afternoon. An accomplice of Ismail’s in the July 10 terror attack too was killed in the brief encounter.
The gunfight broke at Aerbagh area in Nowgam after a joint team of police and security forces conducted an operation following specific information about the movements of the terrorists.
“A joint operation was launched on the outskirts of Srinagar. Around 4.15 pm today, a contact was established with two hiding terrorists in the area, and in a very brief and crisp encounter, both terrorists were killed,” Inspector General of Police (Kashmir range) Muneer Khan said at a Press conference.
The slain terrorists have been identified as Abu Ismail and Abu Qasim, alias Chota Qasim, both residents of Pakistan, said the top cop. However, Khan added, a foreign mercenary and a local terrorist involved in the Amarnath attack are still at large.
Major General BS Basu, who heads the Army’s Awantipora-based counterinsurgency division Victor Force, described Abu Ismail’s killing as a major setback to leT. He said Ismail was involved in the killing of 15 security personnel in the area.
Sources said the terrorists were tracked down to a place very close to Srinagar-Jammu national highway bypass and it was highly likely that they were planning a major strike in the area.
The duo had arrived in Srinagar two days ago and the intelligence about their presence was generated from Shopian, the sources added.