Jammu and Kashmir police have identified the militant killed in the Sopore encounter on Tuesday night as Abdul Gani Khawaja, chief commander of Al-Badr, and termed his killing as a big success. Operation was launched at Tujjer Sharief on Tuesday night after receiving a specific input, leading to the elimination of Albadr chief, said police.
"During the search operation, as the presence of a terrorist was ascertained, he was given an opportunity to surrender, however, he fired indiscriminately upon the joint search party, which was retaliated, leading to an encounter," the police spokesman said, and added that one terrorist was killed in the encounter and his body was retrieved from the site.
"The killed terrorist has been identified as Abdul Gani Khawaja alias Skinder, resident of Khawaja Mohalla Kralgund, chief of proscribed terrorist outfit Al- Badr."
Police said Khawja was involved in several terror cases including attacks on security forces and civilians, besides being the main recruiter.
"Dozens of cases have been registered against him in north Kashmir, which include grenade blast at the bus stand in Sopore, in which 19 civilians sustained injuries on 28-10-2019; rifle-grenade attack at police post Warpora, in which two police personnel got injured on 21-03-2019; attack upon joint naka party of police/ CRPF at Bismillah Colony, Model Town Sopore, in which four CRPF personnel got seriously injured and one among them, while being evacuated to hospital, succumbed to injuries. In the incident, one civilian identified as Bashir Ahmad Khan got also killed by the bullets fired by terrorists on 01-07-2020; attack on CRPF Naka Party at Ahad-Baba Crossing, Noorbagh, Sopore, in which 3 CRPF personnel were killed at 2 got seriously injured on 18-04-2020; killing of one civilian namely Danish Manzoor Najar @ Ishfaq S/O Manzoor Ahmad Najar, R/O Edipora Bomai, Sopore on 06-06-2020 and an attack on police party from Police post Warpora at Warpora Chowk, in which one SPO and one civilian were killed and one SPO got injured on 04-03-2020."
Police spokesman said that he was also involved in providing arms and ammunition to over ground workers of the terrorist organisation for carrying out subversive activities in the area.
{{/usCountry}}Police spokesman said that he was also involved in providing arms and ammunition to over ground workers of the terrorist organisation for carrying out subversive activities in the area.
{{/usCountry}}"He was operating in the areas of North Kashmir including Langate, Upper/Lower Qaziabad, Handwara, Sopore, Zainageer, Tujjar, Barahampora etc," he said.
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He added that incriminating materials, including arms and ammunition were recovered from the site of encounter. "All the recovered materials have been taken into case records for further investigation and to probe his complicity in other terror crimes."
IGP Kashmir, Vijay Kumar termed the killing of Al-Badr chief a big success and said it was achieved without any collateral damage.