J&K: Terrorist killed, cops claim top Lashkar commander trapped in Pulwama

Police identified the commander as Umar Mushtaq Khanday who is among the top ten commanders operating in Kashmir

Jammu and Kashmir police on Saturday claimed to have trapped a top Lashkar commander in Pulwama district during an operation that was launched during the night at Drangbal Pampore. According to the latest updates, one terrorist was killed during the ensuing gunfight, while another is likely to have been slain as well.

Officials said that Khanday is involved in the killing of two police constables. (ANI)

Police identified the trapped commander as Umar Mushtaq Khanday who is among the top ten commanders operating in Kashmir. Officials said that Khanday is involved in the killing of two police constables.

“LeT commander amongst top 10 terrorists namely Umar Mustaq Khandey who was involved in the killing of two police personnel at Baghat Srinagar & other terror crimes trapped in Pampore Encounter,” Kashmir Zone Police said in a tweet quoting Inspector General of Police, Kashmir, Vijay Kumar.

Umar was named among the top ten militant targets by police along with Salim Parray, Yousuf Kantroo, Abbas Sheikh, Reyaz Shetergund, Farooq Nali, Zubair Wani and Ashraf Molvi, Saqib Manzoor and Wakeel Shah in August.

This is the third operation since Friday afternoon in which two militants, who according to the police were involved in the killing of a civilian and a police sub-inspector in Srinagar, were killed.

Police identified the killed militants as Shahid Bashir Shiekh and Tanzeel Ahmad, both residents of Srinagar.

IG Kumar said based on specific inputs regarding the presence of terrorists, two operations were carried out in Pulwama and Srinagar, resulting in the killing of two militants belonging to LeT (TRF) and who were involved in recent killings of a civilian and a probationary police sub-inspector in Srinagar.

He said in the Pulwama encounter, one militant identified as Shahid Bashir Sheikh of Habba Kadal Srinagar was killed.

“As per police records, he had joined the terror folds recently and was linked with proscribed terror outfit LeT (TRF). He was involved in the killing of a civilian Mohammad Shafi Dar (PDD Employee) at Batamaloo Srinagar on Oct 2. He was also responsible for creating terror among the locals by threatening, intimidating and killing civilians.”

Kumar said, in another operation at Hamdaniya Colony Bemina, one militant identified as Tanzeel Ahmad of Habba Kadal Srinagar was killed. “As per police records, he had joined the terror folds recently and was linked with proscribed terror outfit LeT (TRF). He was involved in the killing of PSI Arshid Ashraf at Khanyar area of Srinagar in September”.

He said that besides these two specific killings, Shahid and Tanzil were also collaborators in the recent killings of a chemist and two teachers in the city.

“Incriminating materials, including arms (2 AK 47 rifles) and ammunition, have been recovered from the site of encounters.”

IGP Kashmir said that after the recent killings of civilians in the city in eight encounters, 11 militants got killed since October 8 in Kashmir.