Two terrorists, including the murderer of Kashmiri Pandit bank guard Sanjay Sharma, were killed in an encounter by the joint team of security forces in Padgampora village of Awantipora in Pulwama early on Tuesday.
An Indian Army jawan laid down his life during the operation, while another soldier sustained gunshot injuries and is recuperating in hospital.
Kashmir range Additional Director General of Police Vijay Kumar said one of the terrorists, identified as Aqib Mustaq Bhat, was behind the killing of the 40-year-old Kashmiri Pandit, in Achan area of Pulwama on Sunday. The second terrorist has been identified as Aijaz Ahmed Bhat.
According to a police spokesman, the operation was launched after a specific input about the presence of terrorists in a mosque in Padgampora village of Awantipora.
“During the search, terrorists hiding inside a mosque opened indiscriminate fire upon search parties and in this initial exchange of fire, two jawans of the army sustained grievous injuries while neutralising one terrorist on the spot. One of the jawans later on attained martyrdom”.
According to police, Aqib Mushtaq Bhat of Malangpora, Pulwama (A category), was associated with Hizbul Mujahideen terrorist outfit and for past few months also working with the Resistance Front (TRF). However, Aijaz Ahmad Bhat of Syedabad Pastuna Tral (C-Category) was associated with terror outfit Jaish-e-Mohammad (JeM) and also working in coordination with the TRF. Aqib was active from January 2021 and Aijaz was active from May 2022, police added.
The army jawan who laid down his life has been identified as Sepoy Pawan Kumar.
Defence spokesman said, “Sepoy Pawan Kumar in a sheer act of bravery overpowered the first terrorist in a hand to hand combat and was grievously injured. He subsequently succumbed to his injuries, making the supreme sacrifice in the highest traditions of the Indian Army.”
The deceased soldier is survived by his mother Bhajun Dassi. The mortal remains of the brave soldier will be moved for the last rites to his native place at village Pithyt, Post Kinoo, Tehsil Rampur, District Shimla, Himachal Pradesh, and will be laid to rest with full military honour.
During this action, Sepoy Pawan Kumar and Naik Hemraj, led from the front and suffered multiple gunshot wounds and were immediately evacuated to 92 Base Hospital, Srinagar.
During the operation, which started past midnight, the security forces exercised utmost caution and used limited firepower to avoid any collateral damage while evacuating civilians praying inside the mosque.
Before neutralising the second terrorist, holed up inside a bathroom of an adjacent building, the security forces also rescued over one dozen civilians from the spot.
Security forces also recovered arms and ammunition, including one AK-47 rifle, one AK-74 rifle, one pistol, three grenades, two pouches, five AK magazines, two pistol magazines, 103 AK rounds, 20 pistol rounds and two Aadhar cards from the site of the encounter.
Police investigations have so far revealed that both the terrorists, although joined through different terrorist organisations, had come together to conspire and attack minorities, outsiders, other vulnerable targets and security forces.
A police spokesman said they were involved in FIR No. 14/2023 of PS Litter (recent killing of Kashmir Pandit Sanjay Pandita at Achan, Pulwama), FIR No 82/2022 of PS Pulwama (attack on 2 outside labourers at Lajoora), FIR No 115/2022 of PS Tral (weapon snatching attempt), FIR No 76/2022 of PS Tral (OGW module which supported them for grenade lobbing) among many other cases.
ADGP Kashmir Vijay Kumar also paid rich tributes to the martyred soldier and appreciated joint efforts of police and security forces for conducting such a complex operation where a hostage situation was defused tactfully and also the sanctity of the mosque was maintained.