Encounter Under Way In Jammu And Kashmir’s Pulwama, Terrorist Killed

Security forces killed a terrorist in an encounter in Awantipora town of Pulwama district of Jammu and Kashmir on Tuesday, a police spokesperson said. He said the gun battle broke out between militants and security forces on the outskirts of Awantipora this morning following a tip about the presence of ultras in the area. One militant was killed in the encounter, which was still on, the official said. The identity and group affiliation of the militant was being ascertained.

Last month, a top Hizbul Mujahideen ‘commander’, wanted in connection with the assassination of a senior BJP leader and an RSS functionary, was killed along with two other terrorists in a nine-hour operation in which a jawan lost his life in Ramban district.

The terrorists, identified as Osama and his associates Zahid and Farooq, were gunned down after they tried to escape from a house where they had barged in while being chased by security forces following a brief exchange of fire in Batote area along Jammu-Kishtwar national highway early this morning, they said, adding the house-owner was also rescued after the encounter ended.

Osama was the brain behind several sensational incidents including the killings of senior BJP leader Anil Parihar and his brother Ajit Parihar on November 1, 2018 and RSS functionary Chanderkant Sharma and his PSO on April 9, officials said.

He was carrying a reward of several lakhs of rupees and was also wanted in three weapon snatching incidents in Kishtwar town, which was declared terrorist-free over a decade ago.