J&K: Two LeT terrorists, including one Pakistani killed in encounter in Kupwara

An encounter broke out in the Chaktaras Kandi area of Jammu and Kashmir’s Kupwara district on Tuesday morning. The J&K police and Indian Army took on the encounter and neutralised two terrorists of the proscribed terror outfit Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT). According to the police, the killed terrorists include one Pakistani national namely Tufail.

“Encounter has started at Chaktaras Kandi area of Kupwara. Police and Army on the job. Two terrorists of proscribed terror outfit LeT including one Pakistani terrorist namely Tufail killed,” said Inspector General of Police (IGP) Kashmir Vijay Kumar in a tweet in the early hours of Tuesday morning. Meanwhile, the security forces also informed that further search operation was still underway in the area.

The encounter comes only hours after a Pakistani terrorist affiliated with LeT was killed in the Panipora forest area of Zaloora village in J&K's Baramulla district. The army had cordoned off the area on Monday evening after two foreign terrorists and one local terrorist escaped during the encounter. Notably, the security forces have so far killed 28 Pakistani terrorists so far this year in different operations.

Pakistani terrorist killed in Baramulla encounter

A Pakistani terrorist affiliated with the proscribed terror outfit LeT was killed in Baramulla on Monday. "As per the documents recovered from the killed Pakistani terrorist, he has been identified as Hanzalla of Lahore, Pakistan. One AK rifle, 5 magazines along with ammunition has been recovered," said IGP Kashmir. Notably, the security forces on Saturday also gunned down a self-styled commander of the terrorist outfit Hizbul Mujahideen. The encounter that began on Friday evening in the Anantnag, Rishipora area saw three soldiers and a civilian sustain injuries.

Meanwhile, earlier in the day, J&K Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha said that some elements across the border are trying to disturb peace in the Union Territory but stated that terrorism is in its last leg in the valley. "People of Kashmir understand and many, including religious preachers, have openly condemned such acts (of violence). When a lamp is about to go off, its flare flares more. It (militancy) is in its last leg, but they are trying for the return of those days (when militancy was at its peak). The administration and the security forces are preparing with their full might (to deal with it)," Sinha said.

Image: ANI