SRINAGAR: The top Lashkar-e-Toiba commander, who was also the mastermind of the Dhangri attack, was killed along with his associate on the second day of the encounter in the Baaji Maal area of Kalakote in the Rajouri district of JK, officials said on Thursday.
On Wednesday, four army personnel, including two captains, were killed and two others injured in the operation against the militants in the Dharmsal belt’s Bajimaal area. Another soldier succumbed to his injuries on day second pf the operation.
A defence source told news agency KNO that the firing was halted in the night and the area was put under cordon. “With the first light of the day on Thursday, contact with the hiding militants was established and in the heavy exchange of fire, the hiding militants were injured.”
“Both the injured terrorists were killed in the gunfight. One of the slain was identified as Qari, a Pakistani national, tasked to revive terrorism in the region,” said the Jammu-based Defence spokesman. “He was trained on the Pak & Afghan Front. He was a highly ranked terrorist leader of Lashkar-e-Taiba.”
The spokesman said that Qari was active in Rajouri-Poonch along with his group from the past one year. He is also believed to be the mastermind of Dangri & Kandi attacks and was on a mission to revive militancy in the region. “He was an expert in operating IED’s and hiding in Caves and also a trained Sniper,” he added.
The security personnel who lost their lives in the operation have been identified as Capitan MV Pranjal of Mangalore, Karnataka, Captitan Shubham Gupta of Agra, Uttar Pradesh, Havaldar Abdul Majid of Ajote, Poonch, Jammu and Kashmir Lance Naik Sanjay Bisht of Halli Padli, Nainital, Uttrakhand and Paratrooper Sachin Laur, Nagaliya Giurola, Aligarh, Uttar Pradesh.
Jammu and Kashmir Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha, Army Commander Lieutenant General Upendra Dwivedi among other senior civil and police officers laid a wreath at Mintery hospital Jammu.
Inspector General of Police (IGP) Jammu, Anand Jain in statement said that a top Lashkar-e-Toiba commander along with associate was killed in Baajimal-Kalakote, Rajouri Jammu.
“Apropos to our earlier information regarding encounter between terrorists and Army & JK Police in Bajimaal area of Dharmsal-Kalakote in Rajouri District ,a top Commander identified as code name Qari of Lashkar-e-Taiba outfit has been gunned down in a fierce gun battle in Bajimaal area of Dharmsal in Rajouri District. He was active in Rajouri-Poonch alongwith his group from past one year,” the police statement quoting IGP Jammu, said, adding that “The slain terrorist is believed to be mastermind of Dangri and Kandi attacks. The slain terrorist was sent to revive terrorism in the region and IEDs handling expert, operating & hiding from Caves & a trained Sniper.”
Incriminating materials including arms and ammunition were recovered from his possession. In the encounter, police said Qari’s associate was also killed. “The bodies of both the terrorists have been retrieved and taken for further medico- legal formalities by the Police. The area is being thoroughly searched to check for any other suspicious article, support structure etc,” the statement said.
It may be recalled that in January this year, militants killed four civilians and injured nine others at Dhangri area of Rajouri district. On the second day of the incident, an IED exploded near the incident site, resulting in the death of a child at the scene injuring five others. Second child injured in that blast died later, raising the overall death toll to six—(KNO)
