Fayaz Bukhari
—Excelsior/Younis Khaliq
Srinagar, Sept 12: Top Lashkar-e-Toiba (LeT) commander, Irshad Ganie, who was involved in major attacks on security forces during past three years in Kashmir valley, was killed in a fierce gun battle in South Kashmir’s Pulwama district today while three of his associates fled.
Ganie was involved in major strikes in Kashmir valley against security forces during past three years including one of the audacious attacks on Army in which 11 Army personnel were killed on Hyderpora Bypass in 2013.
Reports said that Special Operations Group (SOG) of Jammu and Kashmir Police Srinagar (Cargo) received information about the presence of four LeT militants including two top LeT commanders, Abu Ukasha and Abu Dujana in Begam Bagh village of Kakpora in Pulwama district this afternoon.
The army and police led by the SP operations, Tanvir Jeelani, cordoned off the village and militants fled into the rice fields by opening fire at troops. The security forces cordoned off several villages and trapped the militants in the paddy fields.
However, a police officer said that the two top LeT commanders, Abu Ukasha and Abu Dujana, involved in last month Udhampur attack who were also trapped used the locals working in the rice fields as human shields to flee. “Police and army didn’t fire to avoid collateral damage and the two commanders took advantage of it”, he added.
Abu Dujana is one of the most wanted militant by National Investigation Agency (NIA) for his role in Udhampur attack in which two Border Security Force (BSF) personnel were killed and around a dozen were injured last month. He carried a cash reward of Rs 8 lakh on his head.
The officer said that Ganie was killed in the gun battle in the paddy fields when he along with his other associates was fleeing. Ganie was injured in last month when he fled during an encounter in Kakapora.
Ganie’s killing is a major success for security forces in South Kashmir as he was one of the most daring militants who was close to LeT divisional commander, Abu Qasim.
A police spokesman said that on a tip off about the presence of the militant in Numan Laribal village of Kakapora area, Pulwama Police along with 50-RR cordoned off the area and started the search. “The militant, in an attempt to flee from the spot opened fire on the search party, triggering an encounter. During the encounter, one militant was killed. The slain militant was later identified as Irshad Ahmad Ganie alias Abdullah resident of Padgampora and a close associate of LeT commander Abdul Qasim. One AK-56 rifle, 2 magazines and 59 AK-rounds were recovered from the encounter site”, the spokesman said.
“This wanted militant carrying a reward of Rs 10 lakh was involved in number of violent incidents including the national highway attacks. He was involved in the firing in the main Chowk Awantipora in which two civilians were injured and attack on Sliver star Hotel at Nowgam Bypass in which two civilians were killed and another was injured 2012”, the spokesman said.
The spokesman said: “He was involved in attack on CRPF at Bypass, Srinagar in which a CRPF personnel was killed and another was injured and attack on Army convoy in which 8 Army personnel were killed and 16 others were injured in the year 2013.”
“He was also involved in the attack on BSF convoy at Pampore in which one Assistant Commandant and seven BSF personnel were injured and other attack on the BSF near Koil airport in which four BSF personnel were killed. He was also involved in the attack on the police party near Galander in which two police personnel were killed and a civilian was injured, attack on the BSF Gypsy at Pulwama in which two BSF personnel were killed in 2014, besides was instrumental in motivating local youth into joining militancy”, the spokesman said.
A Defence spokesman said: “Based on specific intelligence about the presence of terrorists in village Kakpora Pulwama district a joint operation was launched by the Army and JKP today afternoon. As the cordon was was being tightened around the suspected areas where the terrorists were hiding, the terrorists opened a heavy volume of indiscriminate fire following which an intense exchange of fire ensued.”
“The encounter which lasted till about 7 pm resulted in the elimination of one terrorist identified as a top LeT commander, Irshad Ganai, who was purportedly involved in the killing of 11 Army soldiers in Hyderpora attack in year 2013.
The operation has also led to the recovery of one AK-47 rifle from the slain terrorist”, the spokesman added.
Follow our WhatsApp channel