Key conspirator of Pulwama attack killed in encounter
srinagar — The mastermind of the February 14 Pulwama terror attack, in which 40 CRPF personnel had died, has been killed in an encounter in south Kashmir’s Tral area, officials said on Monday.
Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM) terrorist Mudasir Ahmed Khan alias ‘Mohd Bhai’ was among two militants killed in the encounter in Tral’s Pinglish area in Pulwama district, they said.
Police in Kashmir said on Monday that an investigation had “revealed that Khan was one of the key conspirators” of the deadly attack on Indian forces.
The encounter lasted past midnight. Khan and an JeM operative, who officials believe is Sajjad Bhat, whose vehicle was used in the Pulwama attack, were killed in the gunfight with security forces.
The family of Mudasir Khan identified his body.
The house in which the militants were hiding was destroyed in the operation by the security forces.
The Army said three militants were killed. The police have recovered only two bodies.
The family members of Khan have taken his body, the officials said, adding that family members of Bhat refused to take the body, saying it was charred beyond recognition.
Security forces had launched a cordon and search operation in Pinglish after receiving specific intelligence about the presence of militants in the area. The operation turned into an encounter after the militants opened fire at the search party who retaliated, the officials said.
K.J.S. Dhillon, the local army commander in Kashmir, said on Monday that 14 alleged JeM militants, including six commanders, had been eliminated in a crackdown in the aftermath of the bombing. —