Srinagar: In a major blow to Pakistan-based Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) terror outfit in Kashmir, two of its top terrorists, including a Pakistani, were killed by security forces in 2 successive encounters in Srinagar today.
Saleem Parray, the “top most wanted & dreaded terrorist” and his Pakistani associate Hafiz alias Hamza were killed in Shalimar and Zakoora areas, which are just a few kilometres apart.
“Based on specific input generated by Police regarding presence of terrorist in Harwan/Shalimar area, a search operation was launched by Srinagar Police and CRPF in the said area,” a police spokesman said.
During the search operation, the security party was fired upon indiscriminately by hiding terrorist, he said.
It was effectively retaliated, leading to a brief shootout & elimination of a dreaded terrorist Saleem Parray, linked with proscribed terror outfit LeT, the spokesman said.
Soon after this, another operation was carried out by Police, CRPF alongwith Army in Gasu area of Zakoora.
During the operation, one foreign terrorist identified as Hafiz @ Hamza of Pakistan, linked with proscribed terror outfit LeT, was neutralized, the spokesman said.
As per the police records, Parray was a categorised terrorist, active since 2016 and was wanted by law in several terror crime cases, he said.
He was involved in several civilian killings, including throat-slitting of many civilians in Hajin area, the police said.
Parray was also involved in providing logistic support to the terrorists operating in the area to carry terror attacks.
“Moreover, the killed terrorist Saleem Parray had spread a reign of terror by abducting civilians and killing/torturing them in the name of informers,” the spokesman said.
He was also involved in reviving the terror folds of proscribed terror outfit LeT in Hajan and its adjoining area, the spokesman added.
IGP Kashmir Vijay Kumar said Hafiz was involved in several terror crimes, including recent gunning down of two policemen in Bandipora on December 10.
After this terror crime, he shifted to Harwan area of Srinagar due to frequent cordon & search operations in Bandipora area, Kumar added.
Hamza was also involved in the killing of a CRPF personnel at Bandipora.
Both the killed terrorists were also involved in attack on search party of Police/SFs in Hajin in which one police personnel Ct Zaheer Abbas got martyred, the police said.
Incriminating materials, arms and ammunition were recovered from both the encounter sites, the police said.
