A Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) commander involved in the killing of two police personnel in Srinagar has been trapped in the ongoing encounter between terrorists and security forces at Drangbal area of Pampore in Jammu and Kashmir’s Pulwama district on Saturday, officials said. “LeT commander among top 10 terrorists namely Umar Mustaq Khandey who was involved in killing of two police personnel at Baghat Srinagar and other terror crimes trapped in Pampore Encounter,” police tweeted quoting IGP Kashmir Vijay Kumar.
LeT commander amongst #top 10 #terrorists namely Umar Mustaq Khandey who was involved in #killing of two police personnel at Baghat #Srinagar & other terror crimes trapped in Pampore #Encounter: IGP Kashmir@JmuKmrPolice https://t.co/sM5w69fifc
— Kashmir Zone Police (@KashmirPolice) October 15, 2021
The firefight between terrorists and security forces took place after a joint team of the police and the army cordoned off the area and launched a search operation on the basis of specific information about presence of terrorists. As the security forces zeroed in on the spot where terrorists were hiding they came under a heavy volume of fire that triggered the encounter.
Meanwhile, a counter insurgency operation entered the fifth day today in Poonch and Rajouri districts as the Army deployed para commandos to eliminate terrorists whose exact number is still not known. Police sources said traffic on the Poonch-Rajouri highway remained closed in Bhimber Gali area for the third straight day.
Five soldiers, including a Junior Commissioned Officer (JCO), were killed in the first exchange of gunfire between the combing troops and the terrorists on Tuesday. On Friday, two soldiers were killed, while reports said a JCO who was missing. But there has been no official confirmation on the missing JCO.
Defence sources said initially the operation had started following reports that three terrorists and a local guide were seen in the Dhera Ki Gali (DKG) area. “After the firing exchanges started in Mendhar area while the engagement with the terrorists was going on in DGK area, it is likely that there are two groups of terrorists, one operating in Poonch district and the other in Rajouri district.
“The exact number of terrorists would be known after they are eliminated,” the defence sources said.