Lashkar-e-Taiba, Jaish-e-Mohammed terrorists neutralized in Awantipora encounter: Kashmir Police

The Kashmir Police on Tuesday informed that the security forces have neutralized two terrorists, one each of Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) and Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM), in an anti-terrorist operation in Awantipora.

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"Yesterday, at about 5.30 pm, on a specific input generated by Police regarding presence of terrorists in village Rajpora area of Awantipora, a joint cordon and search operation was launched by Awantipora Police, Army (42RR) and CRPF 130Bn/180Bn in the said area. During the search operation, as the joint search party approached the suspected spot, the hiding terrorists fired indiscriminately upon the joint search party leading to an encounter", stated an official release from the Jammu and Kashmir police.

According to the police, one of the killed terrorists was involved in civilian killings in the Awantipora area. In the ensuing encounter, two local terrorists identified as Shahid Ahmad Rather, linked with proscribed terror outfit Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM) and Umar Yousuf linked with proscribed terror outfit Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) were killed and their bodies were retrieved from the site of encounter, stated the police release.

As per police records, both the killed terrorists were categorized terrorists and part of groups involved in several terror crime cases including attacks on Police, Security Forces and civilian atrocities.

Besides other terror crimes, killed terrorist Shahid was involved in the killing of a lady Shakeela of Aripal and a government employee Javaid Ahmad of Lurgam Tral. He was also involved in motivating and recruiting local youth to join terrorist ranks and on his motivation Mohd Shafi Dar of Wagad Tral had joined terrorist ranks who was later on neutralized in an anti-terrorist operation in Kulgam on December 29, 2021.

Incriminating materials, arms and ammunition including two AK-47 rifles have been recovered from the site of the encounter. All the recovered materials have been taken into case records for further investigation.

In this regard, a case under relevant sections of law has been registered and an investigation has been initiated. People are requested to cooperate with Police till the area at the encounter site is completely sanitized and cleared of all the explosive materials.

Besides this, in Kulgam, terrorists shot dead a Hindu lady teacher near government school Gopalpora.

At about 10.35 am, police received information about a terror crime incident near Government High School Gopalpora area of Kulgam district where terrorists had fired upon a Hindu lady teacher identified as Rajni Bala, 36-years-old, wife of Raj Kumar, resident of Samba, Jammu (A/P Chawalgam Kulgam).

In this terror crime incident, she had received critical gunshot injuries and was evacuated to the hospital. However, she succumbed to her injuries, stated the police.

Following this, IGP Kashmir said, "Terrorists involved in this gruesome terror crime will be soon identified and neutralized."

Police has registered a case under relevant sections of law and initiated investigation. Officers continue to work to establish the full circumstances of the terror crime and terrorists involved in this gruesome terror crime will be soon identified and neutralized. The whole area has been cordoned off with the help of reinforcement and search in the area is going on.