J&K: Three terrorists, including top LeT commander, killed in twin encounters

The LeT commander, identified as Usman, was active in the valley for several years and was also involved in the killing of Inspector Masroor Wani

Srinagar: In a huge achievement for the security forces, a top Pakistani commander of the banned Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) outfit and two other terrorists were killed in two separate encounters in Jammu and Kashmir’s Srinagar and Anantnag districts on Saturday, officials said.

The LeT commander, identified as Usman, was active in the valley for several years and was also involved in the killing of Inspector Masroor Wani, a senior police officer said. Wani was shot dead from close range while he was playing cricket in the Eidgah ground here in October last year.

---

Usman was active in the valley for a very long time and was involved in several attacks, the officer said, adding that his killing is a “major blow” to the LeT in Jammu and Kashmir. “Usman was the seniormost Pakistani LeT commander here,” he said. Four security forces personnel were also injured in the Srinagar encounter. Security forces launched a cordon-and-search operation in the densely-populated locality of Khanyar in the interior city here following inputs about the presence of terrorists in the area.

The search operation turned into an encounter as the terrorists opened fire at the search party, which retaliated, a police official said. During the operation, a fire broke out in the house where the terrorists were holed up and thick grey smoke was seen billowing into the sky.

Usman was killed in the encounter, the official said. Two Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) jawans and two policemen were injured, he said, adding that they were taken to the Army’s 92 Base Hospital and their condition was stated to be stable.

This was the first encounter in Srinagar in more than two years. The last one took place in September 2022 at Nowgam. Two local terrorists of Ansar Ghazwat-ul-Hind (AGuH) were killed in that encounter. The senior police officer said that Usman was also the right-hand man of Sajad Gul, the TRF commander based in Pakistan.

The Resistance Front (TRF) is believed to be a shadow outfit of the LeT. The operation was concluded in the evening. Inspector General of Police (IGP), Kashmir, V K Birdi visited the injured police personnel and CRPF jawans at the hospital and assured them of full support throughout their recovery.