Lashkar-e-Taiba’s (LeT) chief commander Abu Dujana and his accomplice were killed in an encounter with security forces in Jammu and Kashmir’s Pulwama district, police said. Dujana had managed escape five times earlier as security forces closed in on him. His killing comes as a major boost for security forces seeking to wipe out militancy and terrorism in the Kashmir Valley.
Jammu and Kashmir DGP SP Vaid had earlier today said: “We are yet to recover the dead bodies, will tell you their identities after that.” This, after two to three LeT terrorists, were trapped and gunshots were heard during a search operation by security forces in Hakripora village of the district.
The J&K police also said, they were “acting on specific intelligence input about the presence of militants in Hakripora village of Pulwama, following which security forces launched a cordon and search operation in the area.”
Vaid also said, “Over 100 ‘miscreants’ started pelting stones at security forces involved in the anti-militancy operation in Hakripora area of Pulwama. The security forces used tear smoke shells, pellets and fired few live rounds to disperse the stone- pelting protestors.”
The terrorists opened fire during the operation, prompting retaliation from the forces which triggered a gunbattle, he said. With the killing of these two terrorists, the encounter has now ended.
The operation was carried out by 182 Battalion, 183 Battalion, Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF), 55 Rashtriya Rifles (RR) and Special Operations Group (SOG) at 4: 30 am on Tuesday morning in Hakripora village.
Source: IndianExpress