2 LeT ultras killed in Pulwama encounter

SRINAGAR: Two militants of the Lashkar-e-Taiba outfit were killed in an encounter with security forces on Tuesday in Pulwama district of the south Kashmir.
This was the first encounter in south Kashmir—considered a hotbed of militancy, after the abrogation of Article 370, even though three more gunfights—two in north Kashmir’s Baramulla and central Kashmir’s Ganderbal—have occurred in Valley since August 5.
Both the militants were locals and there was no damage to security forces or any other person in the encounter which took place on the outskirts of Awantipora town of Pulwama Tuesday morning.
“On a credible input, a cordon & search operation was launched in Kawni and Brawbhandina area of Awantipora and during the operation, the hiding militants fired on the search party. The fire was retaliated leading to an encounter,” a police spokesman said.
“In the ensuing encounter, two militants were killed and their bodies were retrieved along with arms & ammunition and other incriminating material,” he said.
"Two militants of the Lashkar-e-Taiba were eliminated in the operation. They have been identified as Ufaid Farooq Lone and Abbas Bhat," DIG south Kashmir Atul Kumar Goel said in a video posted on official Twitter account of the Kashmir Zone Police.
"Both these were involved in heinous acts of terrorism as well as civilian atrocities," he said.
As per police records, Lone @Abu Muslim, a resident of Awantipora, was wanted by law for his complicity in terror crimes including attack on security establishments and civilian atrocities.
“Lone had a history of terror crime records since 2018 and was involved in planning and executing several terror attacks and civilian atrocities in the area. As per records, he had been carrying out terror activities in the areas of Awantipora across the belts of river Jehlum in the areas of Reshipora and in the nearby areas of Malanpora.
“Several terror crime cases were registered against him including Case FIR No. 38/2019 pertaining to grenade attack on security forces, Case FIR No. 54/2019 pertaining to grenade attack on police station Awantipora, Case FIR No. 122/2019 pertaining to civilian atrocities, threatening, intimidation and beating of locals at Padagampora besides enforcing shutdown of business establishments and forcible suspension of transport facilities in the area following the abrogation of special status,” the police spokesman said.
“He was also responsible for motivating the locals from the areas of Brawbhandina to join the terror fold recently thereby strengthening the terror networks in the area. Incriminating material was recovered from the site of encounter and has been taken into case records for further investigation and to probe their complicity in other terror crimes,” he said, adding that searches in the area continue.
Tuesday’s was the fourth encounter in Valley since August 5 and first in South Kashmir, taking the number of militants killed to 6.