Bandipora, April 25: Lashkar-e-Taiba’s top commander Altaf Lalli has been killed in the ongoing encounter between terrorists and security forces in Bandipora. The operation is part of a comprehensive security operation to neutralize suspected LeT terrorists involved in the attack that killed 26 people.
Acting on specific intelligence about the presence of terrorists on Friday morning, the Indian Army and Jammu and Kashmir Police launched a joint search operation in Bandipora. During this, contact was established with the terrorists, after which firing took place. During the initial firing, one terrorist was injured, who later died. Two policemen were also injured in the same encounter.
Meanwhile, Army Chief Gen Upendra Dwivedi arrived in Srinagar where he was briefed on the ongoing operation in Bandipora. He will conduct a comprehensive security review of the situation and assess the progress of the operation aimed at tracking down the suspected Lashkar-e-Taiba terrorists behind the Pahalgam terror attack.
In another development, the houses of two terrorists believed to be involved in the Pahalgam attack were destroyed by security forces and Jammu and Kashmir authorities on Friday. The house of LeT terrorist Adil Hussain Thokkar in Bijbihara was blown up using IEDs, while the house of Asif Sheikh in Tral was demolished using bulldozers. Adil Thokkar is believed to have played a key role in helping Pakistani terrorists plan and execute the attack in Baisaran Valley in which 26 people were killed.
The Anantnag police have announced a reward of Rs 20 lakh for information on the whereabouts of Thokar and two Pakistani nationals – Ali Bhai and Hashim Musa – who carried out the attack. Sketches of the three have also been released after security forces launched a massive operation to search for the attackers. The attackers, believed to be 4-5 in number, emerged from the dense pine forest surrounding the Baisaran Valley on Tuesday and opened indiscriminate fire with AK-47 rifles on the tourists.
Some survivors said the militants, dressed in army uniforms, checked identity cards to confirm religion and shot those identified as non-Muslims.
