A Lashkar-e-Taiba terrorist was killed and an overground worker (OGW) injured in the ongoing encounter with security forces in Jammu and Kashmir's Bandipora on Friday amid heightened search operations to nab the perpetrators of the Pahalgam terror attack in which 26 tourists were shot dead in cold blood.
Two soldiers have also been injured while the exchange of fire continues between security forces and remaining terrorists.
An encounter broke out between terrorists on Thursday night in the forest area of the district as security forces continue their hunt for the perpetrators of the Pahalgam attack that left 26 people dead on Tuesday.
Security personnel had launched a cordon and search operation in the Kulnar Bazipora area following intelligence inputs about the presence of militants in the vicinity. During the operation, the terrorists, who were hiding in the area, opened fire on the security forces, prompting a retaliatory response.
Army chief in Jammu and Kashmir
Meanwhile, Army Chief General Upendra Dwivedi arrived in Srinagar, where he was briefed on the ongoing anti-terror operation in Bandipora. He is expected to carry out a thorough review of the security situation and evaluate the progress in the mission to track down Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) militants suspected of involvement in the recent Pahalgam terror attack.
In a separate development, security forces and Jammu & Kashmir authorities on Friday demolished the homes of two terrorists believed to be linked to the Pahalgam incident. The residence of LeT operative Adil Hussain Thoker in Bijbehara was destroyed using improvised explosive devices (IEDs), while the house of another suspected militant, Asif Sheikh, was razed with a bulldozer in Tral.
Adil Hussain Thoker is believed to have played a crucial role in assisting the Pakistani terrorists in planning and executing the deadly attack in the picturesque Baisaran Valley, which claimed the lives of 26 people.
In response, the Anantnag Police have announced a reward of Rs 20 lakh for any information leading to the whereabouts of Thoker and two Pakistani nationals — Ali Bhai and Hashim Musa — who are suspected to have carried out the attack. Sketches of all three suspects have been released as security forces continue an extensive manhunt to track them down.
