Terrorist outfit Al-Badr's chief killed in encounter at Kashmir's Baramulla

The chief of terrorist outfit Al-Badr was killed in an encounter at Tujjar Sopore in north Kashmir's Baramulla district on Tuesday evening, officials said.

The police said that on receiving a specific input, an operation was launched at Tujjer Sharief. After establishing contact, the army's 22 RR and the 179 BN of the CRPF also joined the operation.

The police said that during the search operation, as the presence of a terrorist got ascertained, he was given opportunity to surrender. However, he fired indiscriminately upon the joint search party, which was retaliated, leading to an encounter.

"In the ensuing encounter, one terrorist was killed and his body was retrieved from the site of the encounter. The slain terrorist has been identified as Ab Gani Khawaja alias Skinder, a resident of Khawaja Mohalla Kralgund, who was the chief of the proscribed terrorist outfit Al-Badr," the police said.

The police said as per its records, the killed terrorist was involved in several terror crime cases, including attacks on security forces and civilian atrocities besides being the main recruiter of innocent youth into terrorists ranks.

"Dozens of terror related and other crime cases were registered against him in north Kashmir, which include grenade blast at the Sopore bus stand, in which 19 civilians had sustained injuries in October 2019; riffle-grenade attack at a police post in Warpora, in which two police personnel were injured in March 2019; attack on the joint patrol party of police/CRPF at Bismillah Colony in Sopore in July 2020, in which four CRPF personnel got seriously injured with one succumbing to his injuries.

"The list also includes an attack upon a CRPF naka party in Sopore in which three CRPF personnel were killed and two got seriously injured in Aptil 2020; killing of one civilian in June 2020; and attack on a police party at Warpora Chowk, in which one SPO and one civilian were killed in Marh 2020. He was also involved in the killing of civilians and grenade attacks on police/SFs establishments," the police said.

The police added that Khawaja was also involved in providing arms and ammunition to terrorist associates for carrying out subversive activities in the area. He was operating in the areas of north Kashmir, including Langate, Upper/Lower Qaziabad, Handwara, Sopore, Zainageer, Tujjar, Barahampora etc.

Incriminating materials, including arms and ammunition, were recovered from the site of encounter. All the recovered materials have been taken into case records for further investigation and to probe his complicity in other terror crimes.

"The last rites of the killed terrorist shall be performed after conducting his medico-legal formalities and his nearest family members shall be allowed to participate in the funeral," the police said.

--IANS

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