Jaish Commander Who Plotted Pulwama Attack Killed in Encounter; 4 Jawans, Civilian Also Dead

Srinagar: Two Jaish-e-Mohammad militants, including the commander who masterminded Thursday’s terror attack on a CRPF convoy in Pulwama, were killed in an encounter in the south Kashmir district, in which four army personnel and a civilian also died.

Sources said Kamran, a Pakistani terrorist believed to have plotted the terror attack that killed 40 CRPF soldiers, and a local militant named Hilal have been killed in the gunfight in Pinglan area of Pulwama district. Another terrorist is still trapped, sources said.

The slain terrorists were identified as Kamran, a Pakistani national and top commander of the Jaish, and Hilal Ahmad, a local recruited by the terror group, an official said.

The four Army personnel who were killed in action were identified as major Vibhuti Shankar Dhoundiyal, hawaldar Sheo Ram, sepoy Hari Singh and sepoy Ajay Kumar. They belonged to 55 Rashtriya Rifles.

Security forces had launched a cordon and search operation in Pinglan area last night after receiving inputs about the presence of militants in the area, PTI quoted a police officer as saying. He said as the forces were conducting searches, the militants fired upon them, triggering a gun battle.

The civilian succumbed to his gun shot injuries at the hospital, police said.

Forty Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) personnel were killed in Jammu and Kashmir on Thursday when a Jaish-e-Mohammed suicide bomber rammed a vehicle carrying over 100 kg of explosives into their bus in Pulwama district.

In a major diplomatic offensive against Islamabad after the attack, India has highlighted Pakistan's role in using terrorism as an instrument of state policy.

India has demanded that Pakistan take immediate and verifiable action against terrorists and terror groups operating from territories under its control to create a conducive atmosphere in the region, free of terror.

India on Friday announced the withdrawal of the Most Favoured Nation status for Pakistan and hiked the customs duty by 200 per cent on goods originating from Pakistan with immediate effect on Saturday.

The weekly Poonch-Rawalakot bus service and cross-border were also suspended on Monday in view of the prevailing law and order in Jammu.