Srinagar: Two Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) terrorists were killed in an encounter with security forces here in the summer capital of Jammu and Kashmir Saturday, police said.
Based on a specific input generated by the police regarding the presence of terrorists in the Rangpora Zakura area of Srinagar, a cordon-and-search operation was launched there, a spokesperson said.
“During the search operation, as the search party proceeded towards the suspected spot, the hiding terrorists fired indiscriminately upon the search party which was retaliated effectively leading to an encounter,” he said.
In the ensuing gunfight, two terrorists were killed and their bodies were retrieved from the site of the encounter, the official said.
He identified them as Ikhlaq Ahmad Hajam of Kujer Frisal, Kulgam, and Adil Nisar Dar of Malangpora, Pulwama. Both were linked with proscribed terror outfit LeT /TRF (The Resistance Front) – a shadow of the LeT, the spokesperson said.
As per police records, he said, Hajam was active since June 2021 and Dar since August 2021.
“Both were categorised terrorists and part of groups involved in several terror crime cases including attack on police and security forces and civilian atrocities. Besides, they were also instrumental in motivating the gullible youth to join terror folds and reviving the OGW network,” he said.
The spokesman said Hajam was the mastermind behind the recent killing of head constable Ali Mohammad at Hasanpora Anantnag on January 29. He was also involved in an IED blast on the Qaimoh-Yaripora road on January 18.
Incriminating materials, and arms and ammunition, including two pistols and five hand grenades, were recovered from the site of the encounter. All the recovered materials have been taken into case records for further investigation.
Inspector General of Police (IGP), Kashmir, Vijay Kumar congratulated the Srinagar Police for carrying out the anti-terrorist operation in a professional manner without any collateral damage, the spokesperson said.
PTI