JOIN USJeM commander killed in Kashmir encounter
In a major setback to Jaish-e-Mohammad (JeM), security forces killed top commander of the terror outfit in north Kashmir’s Baramulla district on Saturday.
Official sources said Pakistani origin JeM commander Yasir alias Yasir Tunda was one of the top ranking commanders active in Kashmir and was involved in several attacks on civilians and security forces in north Kashmir.
Police said on specific information about the presence of Yasir in the house of Ali Mohammad Bhat at Chatlor Rafiabad in Baramulla, police along with Army’s 22 Rashtriya Rifles cordoned off the house on Friday night.
“In the early hours on Saturday when the search party entered the house, the militant fired in which sub inspector Dilraj Singh got injured. In the crossfire that lasted for some time, commander of JeM outfit who was operating under the code names of Showket, Shazeb, Shoib and Yasir was killed,” a police spokesperson said.
He said the killed commander was wanted in several civilian killings.
Superintendent of Police Sopore Imtiyaz Hussain, who supervised the operation, told Deccan Herald that Yasir had infiltrated into the Valley in 2002 and had been active in the Kupwara and Sopore areas since then.
“As per the initial investigation, the slain militant was working as chief commander of JeM. He was involved in the killing of zonal president of a political party namely Ghulam Mohammad Mir and a local leader of another political party Ghulam Mohidin Bhat, besides other subversive activities,” Hussain said.
One AK-47 rifle, one pistol and a laptop have been seized from the encounter site. The SP Sopore described Yasir’s killing as a major setback for the JeM.
Police sources said Yasir had taken over the JeM after the killing of its chief commander Qari Hamaad in an encounter with the police at Fore Shore Road around Dal Lake early last year.
Sources said that police were trying to extract some vital information related to the contacts of Yasir from the seized laptop.
“Yasir was in touch with his contacts through Skype. The laptop will be sent for analysis. Within a few days there is possibility that the police may get some vital clues about the sources of the killed terrorist,” they added.