Srinagar (Jammu and Kashmir) [India]: A Pakistani terrorist identified as Abu Khalid who was linked with proscribed terror outfit LeT, was killed during an encounter in Srinagar, informed an official statement issued by Kashmir police on Sunday. “Based on specific input generated by Srinagar Police regarding the presence of a terrorist in Theed Harwan area of Jammu and Kashmir’s Srinagar, a joint cordon and search operation was launched by the police, Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) and Army in the said area,” the statement read. During the search operation, as the presence of the trapped terrorist was ascertained, he was given ample opportunities to surrender. However, he denied the surrender opportunities and fired indiscriminately upon the joint search party which was retaliated leading to an encounter, it said. In the ensuing encounter, the terrorist was killed and his body was retrieved from the site of the encounter. “He has been identified as Safiulla alias Abu Khalid, Shawaz resident of Karachi Pakistan,” the statement added. As per police records, the killed terrorist Saifulla was a categorized terrorist linked with proscribed terror outfit LeT who had infiltrated in 2016 via Bandipora Sector. Later on, he sneaked into Srinagar on the directions of Pakistan based Commanders of LeT outfit for intensifying terrorist-related activities in District Pulwama, Srinagar, Ganderbal and Budgam. It is pertinent to mention that the killed terrorist Saifulla was working as Group Commander of proscribed terror outfit LeT in Srinagar as he was operating earlier in Srinagar and was familiar with its topography and outskirts, the police said. Police informed that the killed terrorist also had a history of terror crime cases and was wanted by law for his complicity in terror crime cases which include attacks on police and civilian killings. “He along with his associates was involved in the attack on Army Convoy on NHW Bemina Bye-pass Srinagar near JVC Hospital Srinagar in 2017, resulting in injuries to three Army Jawans. He was also the mastermind behind the attack carried out by his associates at Lawaypora Srinagar in which two SF personnel were martyred and one AK-47 rifle was also snatched,” the statement further read. The terrorist was also involved in an attack on the police party of Police Station Bandipora in which two police personnel were killed. Besides, attacks on Police or security forces, he was also involved in civilian killings which include the killing of BJP President Waseem Bari, his brother and his father in 2020, the police said. “Moreover, he was also behind the revival of terror folds by luring the gullible youth and a number of fresh recruitment of local youth into terrorist ranks. He was also instrumental in the reactivation of hardcore terrorist associates of the LeT outfit in the areas of Srinagar and Pulwama,” the statement read. Incriminating materials, arms and ammunition including one AK-47 rifle, three magazines and one grenade were recovered from his possession. All the recovered materials have been taken into case records for further investigation.
