Srinagar: Top Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) terrorist commander who deserted the ranks of Jammu and Kashmir Police about four years ago was among two terrorists killed during an encounter between terrorists and security forces at Check Sadiq area in South Kashmir’s Shopian district, officials said on Monday.
“Top commander of proscribed terror outfit LeT Ishfaq Dar alias Abu Akram who was active since 2017 and was involved in killing of four cops in 2018 in south Kashmir’s Zanipora village was finally neutralised on Monday,” police said.
“He was very instrumental in planning and executing terror attacks on security establishments, civilian killings and misleading the gullible youth by motivating them to join terrorist folds. He was also involved in killing of four police personnel at minority guard Zainapora in 2018, killing of two non-local drivers in Chittrigam Shopian in 2019. Moreover, on his behest two youth namely Asif Lone, resident of Khudwani Kulgam and Ab Rashid Thoker, resident of Hussanpora Arwani, also joined the terror network,” the spokesman said.
Earlier the firefight between terrorists and security forces took place on Sunday evening after a joint team of the police and the army got a tip off about the presence of terrorists there. The security forces cordoned off the area and launched a search operation.
As the security forces zeroed in on the spot where terrorists were hiding they came under a heavy volume of fire that triggered the encounter.
Kashmir police chief (IGP) Vijay Kumar said that Ishfaq Dar alias Abu Akram was one of the top LeT terrorists active in the region since 2017 and was neutralised in the joint operation by the police, army and the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF).
He said that Ishfaq Dar was a former Jammu and Kashmir cop who deserted the ranks in 2017 after serving for about 5 years before joining a terror group. He posted his picture with a gun on social media to announce the switch.
The second killed terrorist was identified as Majid Iqbal, who turned into a terrorist only this year. Both were residents of Shopian.
Police spokesman said the two terrorists were involved in various incidents and Ishfaq was a listed terrorist. He added that two AK-47 rifles and eight magazines were recovered from the site of encounter.
IG Police Kashmir congratulated the police and security forces for carrying out the operation.