Srinagar: Another major recent success for security forces, top Lashkar-e-Taiba commander Abu Qasim, accused of masterminding the Udhampur attack, was killed in an encounter which occurred overnight in Kulgam district of Jammu and Kashmir.
Qasim, who belonged from Bahawalpur in Pakistan, had planned the attack on a Border Security Force convoy in Udhampur on August 5, according to the National Investigation Agency. Two BSF personnel were also killed in the attack, while one among the terrorists Mohammed Noman, was killed in retaliatory fire, another, Mohammad Naveed was later noticed by the villagers.
Last night, a joint team of the Army and police launched an operation in Khandipora village of Kulgam following a tip-off about Qasim’s presence in the area. A fierce gunbattle broke out around 2 am in which Qasim was killed. A terrific gunbattle broke out around 2 am in which Qasim was killed.
“This is major success for us… He was active in the valley for the last five years… All attacks carried out by LeT, he headed them… This is a serious dent to their capabilities,” said Syed Javaid Mujtaba Gillani, Inspector General of Police, Kashmir.
Qasim is accused of involvement in some of the major attacks on security forces in the state in the last couple of years. In June 2013, he attacked an Army convoy in Hyderpora on the outskirts of Srinagar, killing nine soldiers and injuring 11 others.
