Six Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) militants were killed in an encounter in Bandipora on Saturday. One Indian Air Force (IAF) commando was killed and another soldier injured in the operation.
“It’s a great success for the security forces. A total of six terrorists were eliminated in the operation. One of the terrorists named Owaid is the son of Zakir Rehman Maki and nephew of Zakiur Rehman Lakhvi, the mastermind of Mumbai terror attacks,” said Director-General of Police (DGP), J&K, S.P Vaid.
Lakhvi is a Pakistan-based operational commander of the LeT.
ADVERTISEMENT
He said all the militants were from Pakistan.
“LeT’s commanders Zargam Bhai and Mehmood Bhai were among those eliminated.”
In January this year, Abu Musaib, another nephew of Lakhvi, was also killed in Bandipora.
ADVERTISEMENT
Mehmood, according to the police, was behind the killing of a BSF jawan in September. Sources said the group “dominated” the Sumbal-Sonamarg axis for several months and “escaped many encounters”. “It was a difficult area. We have lost jawans earlier this year too. We faced stone-pelting even today [Saturday]. However, we were not distracted,” said DGP Vaid.
Trapped in a house
One IAF Garud personnel was killed and a soldier of 13 Rashtriya Rifles (RR) injured in the gunfight. These militants were trapped inside a house after a joint team of the army’s 13 RR, CRPF and the police’s special operation group (SOG) personnel cordoned off Hajin's Chandargeer Jamia Mohalla.
There were attempts by locals to disrupt the operation. One civilian was injured in the clashes.