Srinagar, July 31: Two militants including a top ranking militant of Jasih-e-Muhammad, were killed in a three day long operation at Dachigam-Tral forest area in southern Kashmir on Saturday, police said.
The police identified the slain militant as Mohammad Ismal Alvi alias Saifullah alias Adnan alias Lamboo who they said was active since 2017, and was involved in conspiracy and planning of Lethpora Pulwama suicide attack. The second slain militant has been identified as Sameer Ahmad Dar of Gundinagh Kakpora Pulwama who was active since April 2018.
The operation was jointly launched by J&K police and Army on Tuesday (April 27) evening and culminated on Saturday morning with the killing of the two militants.
Police and Army said that operation took three days because of prevailing inclement weather and difficult terrain.
“Mohd Ismal Alvi @ Lamboo @ Adnan was from family of Masood Azhar. He was involved in conspiracy and planning of Lethpora Pulwama attack and figured in chargesheet produced by NIA: IGP Kashmir @JmuKmrPolice,” Kashmir Zone Police said in tweet.
“There were 19 accused #terrorists /OGWs involved in #LethporaTerrorAttack case. Out of 19, 08 terrorists were killed in #encounters, 08 terrorists/OGWs have been arrested and 05 are still absconding: IGP Kashmir@JmuKmrPolice,” it said in another tweet.
On the evening of Saturday police released a statement. “On a specific input generated by Police regarding presence of terrorists in the forest area of Namibian and Marsar, general area of Dachigam forest, a joint cordon and search operation was launched by Awantipora Police and Army in the said area,” police said.
“During the search operation, the hiding terrorists fired on the joint search party, which was retaliated leading to an encounter. In the ensuing encounter two terrorists were killed. One of the killed terrorists has been identified as top most Pakistani terrorist Mohammad Ismal Alvi @Lamboo @Adnan, affiliated with proscribed terror outfit JeM.”
It added. “As per police records, the killed terrorist Mohammad Ismal Alvi @Lamboo was A++ categorized terrorist and figured among the list of most wanted terrorists operating in the valley. He was a highly trained terrorist especially expert in making of IED. He was instrumental in planning and executing terror attacks on security establishments and civilian killings of which several terror crime cases have already been registered against him,” the statement said.
“He was the mastermind and main accused in the February 2019 Lethpora Fidayeen attack. He was also involved in the killing of SPO Fayaz Ahmed, his wife and daughter in Tral, recently. Besides, other terror crimes, he was also instrumental in motivating and recruiting the youth to join terror folds and also motivating local youth for stone pelting and other criminal activities.
“Moreover, the killed terrorist was carrying out terrorist activities in P.D Awantipora, District Pulwama and district Anantnag. He was a close associate of terrorist Abdul Rehman @ Fauji @ Idrees Bhai R/o Multan Pakistan who along with 02 local associates were killed in an encounter at Kangan Pulwama on 03-06-2020.
“He was trying to re-establish and strengthen JeM terror outfit and utilize Awantipora especially Kakpora and Pampore area of Pulwama as a hot bed for receiving new terrorist groups and transporting them to the other parts for carrying out terrorist attacks.
“It is pertinent to mention that terrorist Mohammad Ismal Alvi @Lamboo was closely associated with Jaish chief terrorist Masood Azhar and had infiltrated into this side of Kashmir in the year 2017 through Sakargadh Sector. He had also visited several training camps of JeM din Afghanistan and Pakistan.
“He has earlier escaped from many encounters/cordon & search operations including at Doniwari Chadoora Budgam on 04/03/2020, Parigam Jagir Pulwama on 19/11/2020 & Kalenvan, Bijbehara Anantnag On 07/07/2021.”
Quoting IGP Kashmir Vijay Kumar, the statement said: “There were 19 accused terrorists /OGWs involved in Lethpora terror attack case. Out of 19, 07 terrorists including terrorists Adil Dar, Mudasir Khan, Umar Farooq, Kamran, Qari Yasir,Sajjad Bhat and today Mohd Ismal Alvi @ Lamboo were killed in encounters, 07 terrorists/OGWs have been arrested and 05 are still absconding.”
It said: “Incriminating materials, arms and ammunition including 01 AK rifle, 01 M-4 Carbine, a Glock pistol, Chinese 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,” it said, adding that in this connection, Police has registered a case under relevant sections of law and investigation has been initiated.