JeM commander and four terrorists killed in Budgam and Pulwama

Jammu: Security forces in the Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir neutralised five terrorists in twin encounters in the Budgam and Pulwama districts Kashmir Police announced on Sunday. This includes JeM commander Zahid Manzoor Wani, as well as a Pakistani terrorist.

Kashmir's inspector general of police Vijay Kumar said that the terrorists neutralised in the encounters were affiliated to Lashkar-e-Taiba and Jaish-e-Mohammed, both Pakistan-based terror outfits. A total of 21 terrorists have been killed in 11 encounters this month so far, IGP Kumar revealed, calling it a huge success for security forces.

Zahid was neutralised along with a Pakistani terrorist identified as Wahid Ahmed Rishi and two local cadres - Kafeel alias Chhota Pakistani JeM and Inayatullah Mir.

Four of the terrorists were killed in a gunfight that erupted between them and security forces in the Naira area of Pulwama while the fifth was dealt with in a separate encounter in the Charar-i-Sharief area of central Kashmir's Budgam district on Saturday. Arms and ammunition were recovered from the scenes of the action.

Acting on specific input about the presence of militants in the Naira area of Pulwama in south Kashmir, security forces had launched a cordon and search operation there.

Earlier on Saturday, a 53-year-old policeman was shot dead by terrorists in South Kashmir's Hassanpora Bijbhera. Some unidentified gunmen fired at head constable Ali Mohammad Ganie near his residence in Anantnag's Bijbehara area. He was rushed to the hospital where the doctors declared him dead on arrival, Hindustan Times reported.

"I strongly condemn the brutal killing of our J&K Police HC Ali Mohammad in Anantnag district by terrorists. His supreme sacrifice won't go in vain. The perpetrators of this barbaric act will be punished soon. My deepest condolences to the family of martyr," J&K L-G Manoj Sinha tweeted after the incident.