2 LeT terrorists, including bank manager's killer, gunned down in J&K

Srinagar, June 15 (IANS) Two terrorists of proscribed terror outfit LeT, including the killer of bank manager Vijay Kumar, were eliminated in a joint security forces operation in Jammu and Kashmir's Shopian district on Wednesdy, police said.

Police said acting on specific information regarding presence of terrorists in village Kanji Ullar area of Shopian, a joint cordon and search operation was launched by police, the army and, the CRPF.

During the search operation, as the joint party approached towards the suspected spot, the hiding terrorists fired indiscriminately upon the joint search party which was retaliated effectively. leading to an encounter.

"In the ensuing encounter, two terrorists were killed and their bodies were retrieved from the site of encounter. They have been identified as Jan Mohd Lone, resident of Braripora Shopian, and Tufail Nazir Ganie, resident of Ramnagri Shopian," police said.

As per police records, both the killed terrorists were linked with LeT and were part of groups involved in several terror crime cases including attacks on police/security forces and civilian atrocities.

Interacting with media, IGP, Kashmir, Vijay Kumar revealed that Lone was involved in recent killing of bank manager Vijay Kumar in Kulgam on June 2.

He also revealed that Lone was earlier working as OGW of LeT's district commander Adil Ramzan and he killed the bank manager on the direction of said LeT commander. After this terror crimem, he actively joined terror ranks.

"Since then we have been tracking him. It's pertinent to mention here that one of the killed terrorist Tufail Nazir had earlier escaped from two encounters at Chaki Samad area of Kulgam on April 9 and Khur-Batpora area of Kulgam on April 11," he said.

Arms and ammunition, including an AK-47 rifle and a pistol were recovered from the site of encounter. All the recovered materials have been taken into case records for further investigation and to probe their complicity in other terror crimes.

The IGP congratulated the joint teams for carrying out the anti-terrorist operation in professional manner without any collateral damage. He also appreciated the efforts of police to track down and neutralise the terrorist involved in the recent killing of the bank manager.