Abid Bashir
Srinagar (NVI): An IED expert and top commander of Jaish-e-Mohammed, who was the mastermind behind the car bomb caught in Pulwama recently, was among the three terrorists killed by security forces in south Kashmir today, Jammu and Kashmir Police said.
Addressing a press conference here along with the top Army and CRPF officers, Inspector General of Police, Kashmir range, Vijay Kumar said that an IED expert of Jaish, who had also participated in the Afghan war and was the mastermind of the car bomb that was detected and destroyed by the security forces in Pulwama on May 28, was among three militants killed today.
On May 28, security forces had detected a car laden with 45 kgs of explosives at Rajpora area in Pulwama, averting a major 2019 like terror attack that killed 40 CRPF men.
“Today’s encounter is a big success for the security forces as we have killed Jaish’s IED expert who was also the mastermind of May 28 car bomb attempt,” he said. “The slain commander has been identified as Abdur Rehman alias Fouji Bhai or Fouji Baba, who had participated in Afghan war and was active since 2017 in Kashmir,” he added.
He said that the identity of two other slain militants is being ascertained and it seems that both are locals. “We have called some people to identify the slain terrorists and if they turn out to be locals, their parents will be allowed to participate in the burial at Baramulla district of north Kashmir,” he said.
Asked whether security forces have wiped out all IED experts of Jaish outfit, the IGP said that there are two more Jaish militants who have been identified as Waleed Bhai and Lamboo Bhai, both are foreigners and have an expertise in making IEDs.
“We have also identified the Jaish chief Abdullah Rashid Gazi, who operates in Khrew area of Pulwama district and is hiding in the woods. He will be neutralised once he comes down and we can even catch him where he is hiding. It is because of our source base that we have identified the Jaish chief otherwise Jaish outfit doesn’t disclose the names of its head,” he said.
The IGP, who was flanked by Army and CRPF officers, said that it was for the first time that top militant commanders of Hizbul, Lashkar and Jaish were killed. “The number of militants killed this year is 75 and the majority of them were commanders,” he said.
He said that the police has categorised Over Ground Workers in A, B and C categories. “Public Safety Act will be slapped on A category OGWs, B category OGWs will be arrested and C category OGWs will go through counselling and their parents will be called and then they will be released,” the IGP said.
