SRINAGAR: A Lashkar-e-Taiba terrorist was slain in an anti-terror operation in south Kashmir’s Shopian district early Sunday, even as stone-pelters tried to disrupt the encounter by targeting the security forces. This is the first time since the nullification of Articles 370 and 35A that terrorist sympathisers have attempted to thwart an ongoing anti-terror operation.
Three houses caught fire near the encounter site as miscreants tried to disturb the operation by creating law and order problems. Several stone-pelters were injured in the clash and many who sustained pellet injuries in police retaliation were hospitalised, said sources.
“Based on intelligence inputs about the presence of terrorists in Rawalpora village, a joint team of the Army’s 34RR, CRPF’s 14Bn and J&K Police launched a cordon-and-search operation in the area around 8pm on Saturday,” said a police spokesperson.
The holed-in ultras were offered a chance to surrender but they opened fire on the search party instead, triggering a gunfight. Even as the cordon remained intact, the fire exchange was suspended temporarily during the night. When it resumed early Sunday, a local terrorist identified as Jahangir Ahmad Wani from Shopian’s Rakh Narapora was killed, the spokesperson said.
Jahangir had been active since September 1 last year and was part of several terror crimes including attacks on security forces and civilians. A US-made M4 Carbine rifle along with other incriminating material were recovered from the en