Srinagar- A Lashkar-e-Taiba terrorist, alleged to be the mastermind of the October 20 attack in central Kashmir that left seven people dead, was killed in an encounter with security forces in the Dachigam forest area on Tuesday.
Officials said, the terrorist of the banned Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) was identified as Junaid Ahmed Bhat. He was involved in other crimes, including shooting at non-locals in south Kashmir last year.
The October 20 strike along with a Pakistani terrorist near a tunnel construction site in Gagangir, a place close to tourist spot Sonamarg, resulted in the deaths of a local doctor and six others. Following the attack, Bhat was listed as a ‘Category A’ terrorist, indicating him to be most wanted.
According to the officials, security forces, acting on specific intelligence, launched a cordon-and-search operation near a fish farm in Dachigam late on Monday.
Initial gunfire exchanges occurred but the forces opted to wait until the morning to avoid any escape by the holed-up terrorist.
The situation escalated into a gunfight early on Tuesday when the terrorists opened fire on the search party, prompting a retaliatory response from the security forces.
In the ensuing exchange, Bhat, categorised as a top terrorist by the LeT, was neutralised.
Bhat, a resident of Koimoh in Kulgam district, had gone missing last year, with intelligence agencies confirming his affiliation with the banned terror group.
The Kashmir Zone police confirmed Bhat’s death, stating, “OP Dachigam: In the ongoing operation, one terrorist is killed and has been identified as Junaid Ahmed Bhat (LeT, Category A). The said terrorist was involved in civilian killings at Gagangir, Ganderbal, and several other terror attacks.”
Security forces are conducting further searches in the upper reaches of Dachigam to locate any additional terrorists who may have been with Bhat.
Dachigam National Park, located on the outskirts of Srinagar, spans approximately 141 square kilometers and is situated in the Zabarwan Range of the western Himalayas.
This area has historically served as a route for infiltrating terrorists moving from north to south Kashmir.
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