Killers of Kashmiri Pandit guard shot dead in Pulwama, Army jawan also killed
On Tuesday morning, security forces engaged in a confrontation with two terrorists inside a mosque located in the Pulwama district of south Kashmir, who were suspected of being involved in the recent murder of a Kashmiri Pandit. During the encounter, an Army jawan was also killed.
Security forces cordoned off an area in Padgampora village following a tip-off that at least two armed terrorists were hiding inside the mosque, officials said. The incident, which comes after Sunday’s killing of a Kashmiri Pandit, took place around 1.15 am.
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“Security forces exercised extreme restraint given the fact that the two local militants were holed up inside a mosque. We were determined to ensure there was no damage to the mosque,” a senior police officer said.
During the encounter, a soldier working with 55 Rashtriya Rifles received a bullet in his thigh, puncturing a main artery. There was heavy loss of blood and the soldier could not survive, the officer said.
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Recapping what had happened, he said one of the terrorists, identified as Aqib Mustaq Bhat, was killed in the mosque premises. The other, identified as Ajaz Ahmed Bhat, a resident of Trall near Pulwama, jumped out, possibly from a window, and took refuge in a house close to the mosque.
His location was tracked through technical surveillance and security forces trapped him inside the house before shooting him dead, the officer said.
#AwantiporaEncounterUpdate: Killed #terrorist identified as Aqib Mustaq Bhat of #Pulwama (A category). He initially worked for HM #terror outfit, nowadays he had been working with TRF. #Killer of late Sanjay Sharma #neutralised: ADGP Kashmir@JmuKmrPolice https://t.co/1EdTeobWYP
— Kashmir Zone Police (@KashmirPolice) February 28, 2023
On Sunday, Sanjay Sharma, a bank guard, was shot dead by terrorists barely 100 metres from his home in Achan in Pulwama when he was on his way to the local market. Sharma, was rushed to hospital by passersby but it was too late.
“Killed #terrorist identified as Aqib Mustaq Bhat of #Pulwama (A category). He initially worked for HM #terror outfit, nowadays he had been working with TRF. #Killer of late Sanjay Sharma #neutralised,” Additional Director General of Police Vijay Kumar tweeted earlier in the day.
(With agency inputs)
