Srinagar: The security forces on Wednesday achieved a major success when they killed a top Hizbul Mujahideen terrorist and his associate in a fierce encounter in state’s Anantnag district.
According to a police official, the two Hizbul terrorists were killed in Khanabal area of Anantnag district.
The neutralised terrorists have been identified as Altaf Ahmad Dar alias Altaf Kachroo and his associate Umar Rashid. Both of the neutralised terrorists were A++ category and were active in the valley for over a decade.
Terrorist Altaf Kachroo, who carried a reward of Rs 15 lakh on his head, was the main face of Hizbul terror group and was active in Anantnag and Kulgam districts. He was entrusted with the responsibility of recruiting and training of locals in the Kashmir valley, said the official.
The police official said that the operation was carried out by Rashtriya Rifles, CRPF and he SOG of the state police.
He said that on receiving specific inputs about Kachroo’s presence in the area, the security forces cordoned off the area in Binpora village early in the morning at around 5 am.
“As the joint forces approached the house where the terrorists were hiding, the holed up terrorists fired upon them triggering an encounter that continued for less than an hour in which both of the terrorists were neutralised in a clean operation without any collateral damage, said the police official.
The bodies of the slain terrorists along with large quantity of arms and ammunition have been recovered by the security forces.
In order to maintain peace, curfew has been imposed along with suspension of mobile Internet services in Anantnag and Kulgam districts.