In a massive breakthrough, the security forces have gunned down two terrorists in an encounter that lasted for more than 13 hours in Srinagar, Kashmir. While one is a Pakistani terrorist yet to be identified, the other killed was Lashkar-e-Taiba top terror commander Nadeem Abrar Bhat.

The Jammu and Kashmir Police spokesman said they received input about militants carrying out an attack on highway.  Keeping in view the seriousness of the input, a few joint nakas of JKP and CRPF were put up along the highway.

As per Kashmir Police, arms and ammunition including two AK-47 rifles were also recovered from the encounter site.

In an interview to CNN News18, Inspector General of Police (IGP) Kashmir Vijay Kumar confirmed the development on Tuesday morning. “Jammu & Kashmir Police (J&K Police) had a specific input about terrorists planning to carry out an attack on a highway. Keeping in view the seriousness of the input, a few joint nakas of J&K Police & CRPF were in place along the highway,” said Kumar.

Detailing the sequence of events, “On Parimpora naka, a vehicle was stopped and their identity was asked. The person sitting at the back seat tried to open his bag and took out a grenade. The Naka party swiftly swung into action and grabbed the person sitting at the back seat. Both the driver and the person sitting at the back seat were taken into police station where after taking off his mask it was identified that he was a terrorist Abrar, a top LeT Commander”, Kumar informed further.

Abrar was then subjected to a joint interrogation by J&K Police, CRPF and the Indian Army. Abrar disclosed the location where he had stored the arms and ammunition. 

“…he disclosed that he had kept his AK-47 rifle in a house located at Melhoora. Thereafter he was taken to that house to recover the weapon. When the party was entering the house to recover the alleged weapon, one of his associate (a foreign terrorist about whom he didn’t disclose anything) hiding inside the house fired on the party,” added Kumar.

3 CRPF personnel were injured in the sudden initial exchange of fire between the dreaded terrorists and security forces. The injured personnel were evacuated and Kashmiri Civilians rescued by security forces before launching a full-scale operation. News 18 journalist Aditya Raj Kaul had reported the details of the encounter.

The Pakistani terrorist who fired from inside the house and Abrar were neutralised after an intense gunfight.

Who is Nadeem Abrar?

• Abrar is a Pakistani terrorist, who had been involved in several recent attacks on security forces and civilians in Kashmir.
• LeT commander Nadeem Abrar Bhat alias Khalid was involved in "several killings”. Bhat was acting as the commander of Lashkar in central Kashmir and was active since 2018, the police added.
• He has been linked to the killing of former special police officer Fayaz Ahmed, his wife, and his daughter at their home in the Tral area of the Pulwama district.
• According to the police, Nadeem Abrar Bhat was also involved in the attack on CRPF at Lawaypora in March. In the attack, three Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) jawans were killed and the rifle was also snatched by the terrorists.
• He was a resident of Narbal in Budgam of Central Kashmir.

Attempt to strike terror in Jammu & Kashmir

Recently, the security forces had nabbed two terrorists from near a shopping mall in Jammu who were in possession of IEDs. Following which, Jammu airport witnessed a drone attack causing two low-intensity blasts inside the technical area of the Air Force Station in Jammu within a five-minute gap.

Simultaneously, terrorists on Saturday attacked a CRPF post in Srinagar’s Barbarshah falling under Kralkhud police station. The attack missed the target with the grenade exploding on the roadside and leaving four civilians injured. 

On June 27, terrorists shot dead a former special police officer (SPO) of Jammu and Kashmir Police at his home at Hariparigam Village in district Pulwama, Jammu & Kashmir. Ex-SPO Fayaz Ahmad Bhat’s wife Raja Begum and daughter Rafia were also killed.

They were rushed to a local hospital, where Ahmad and his wife succumbed to injuries. Their daughter was shifted to another hospital, where she succumbed to the fatal injuries too.

References:

OpIndia