Key terrorist commander killed in Uri infiltration bid: Army

Malik and another terrorist, Ahmed Gani Sheikh, were killed on Wednesday in a joint operation, code named Op Kali, by the army and police along the Line of Control (LoC)

In a major blow to terror infrastructure and terror sympathisers, security forces have eliminated key commander Bashir Ahmad Malik in an anti-infiltration operation in the Uri sector, the army said on Thursday.

“Malik has been active for over three decades and was an important cog in the Pakistan-enabled cross-border terrorism in Jammu and Kashmir,” army official said, (HT File Photo)

Malik and another terrorist, Ahmed Gani Sheikh, were killed on Wednesday in a joint operation, code named Op Kali, by the army and police along the Line of Control (LoC).

“Malik has been active for over three decades and was an important cog in the Pakistan-enabled cross-border terrorism in Jammu and Kashmir. He was an important terrorist launch commander for terror organisations from Leepa in the north to the areas in Pakistan-occupied-Kashmir, opposite Rajouri in the south,” commanding officer of army’s 8 Rashtriya Rifles Colonel Raghav said during a media briefing in Uri. He added that Malik had enabled infiltrations of countless terrorists across the LoC, resulting in the loss of lives of many Indian citizens, both security personnel and civilians.

Repeated infiltration attempts through the same area in the Uri sector of Baramulla district was a display of desperation by the adversary to push more terrorists into the Kashmir valley to spoil the prevailing peace and tranquility, he said.

“We have a robust line of control security grid and we are on a high vigil. The Indian Army is well prepared to defeat any such infiltrations attempts and we will not let the enemy succeed with his devious designs,” he added.

The joint operation was launched in the early hours of November 15 on specific intelligence from “own sources and SB, Srinagar, with respect to the likelihood of infiltration of terrorists across the LoC in Uri sector”, the officials said. It was the second infiltration bid in the area with the last few days. The first bid was also thwarted.

“The recoveries included war-like stores, encompassing two AK series rifles, two pistols, four Chinese hand grenades, ammunition along with medicines, eatables, rupees 2,630 in Pakistan currency and Pakistan national identity Card,” the official added.