STATE TIMES NEWS
Srinagar: The Army secured a major breakthrough on Wednesday when it killed Yasir Parray, an IED expert of the banned Jaish-e-Mohammed terror group, and a Pakistani terrorist in South Kashmir’s Pulwama district, officials said.
The nerve-wracking operation began at Parray’s home village, Qasabyar, at 11 pm on Tuesday after the Army received an input from police about presence of terrorists in the locality.
Col A K Singh, Commanding Officer of the 44 Rashtriya Rifles, led the operation and ensured that there was no collateral damage, the officials said.
The presence of two terrorists was confirmed at 3 am as they were hiding in a cavity created between the roof and the top floor of a building, they said.
Traffic cop injured in Srinagar terror attack
Srinagar: A traffic policeman was injured in a terror attack on Wednesday in Rajouri Kadal area of the city, officials said. They said the policeman, Mohammad Abdullah, was shot at by the terrorists from close range while he was on duty. Abdullah has been taken to a nearby hospital for treatment, they said, adding further details were awaited.
Parray, who carried a cash reward, was behind the improvised explosive device (IED) blast on the multi-vehicle patrol of the 44 Rashtriya Rifles in June, 2019, when it was moving on the Arihal-Pulwama road. Two soldiers were killed and 17 were injured in the incident.
An emotional Col Singh, while talking to reporters after the incident in 2019, had said, “You (terrorists) can hide anywhere under the sun, we will find you, hunt you… because we never forget, never forgive.”
On Wednesday, while supervising the entire operation, Col Singh summoned Parray’s father to make the terrorist surrender but it could not be achieved because of heavy firing from the foreign militant, who was identified as Furqan, the officials said.
Parray was instrumental in guiding various groups of Jaish terror group in South Kashmir and he had climbed the hierarchy ladder of the banned terror group swiftly after joining them in late 2018.
Two AK series rifles, two UBGL along with 12 grenades, several AK magazines and rounds were recovered from the area after the operation ended at 8.45 am on Wednesday, the officials added.
According to Srinagar-based Army spokesperson, the Jammu and Kashmir Police described Furqan alias Ali Bhai as a ruthless category ‘A+’ Pakistani terrorist who was known to be active with the Jaish-e-Mohammed since June, 2020.
He was sent to Kashmir to radicalise youths and incite them to take up arms to commit atrocities on innocent locals and prominent businessmen.
According to police spokesperson, terrorist Abu Furkan was active in Kashmir valley since 2018 figuring among the list of top 60 terrorists and used to operate in Pulwama and Pakharpora area of Budgam. He was involved in various terrorist activities, recruitment of local youth into JeM terror folds and mentoring active terrorists of JeM. He was responsible for providing capabilities on fabrication of IEDs.
Moreover, he along with terrorist Yasir Parray were the main conspirators of Avandgund Rajpora VB-IED in which 50Kg IED laden Santro Vehicle was recovered and defused by Police and security forces. They were also involved in killing of a civilian Azad Ahmad Dar resident of Kangan Pulwama.
The second terrorist, Parrey, was a notorious category ‘B’ terrorist, who was known to be associated with various Pakistani terrorists and he acted as a guide for bringing them into Kashmir.
Parray was a known associate of Pakistani terrorist Abu Saifullah alias Lambu, who had planned the Pulwama convoy attack on the CRPF in February, 2019 that left 40 CRPF personnel dead, the spokesperson added.
Incriminating materials, arms and ammunition including 02 AK-series rifles, 02 pistols were recovered from the site of encounter. All the recovered materials have been taken into case records for further investigation. Police has registered a case under relevant sections of law and investigation has been initiated, the police spokesperson added.