Mohd. Ismal Alvi, alias Lamboo, was family member of Masood Azhar and was involved in conspiring in the February 2019 Pulwama terror attack in which 40 CRPF personnel were killed, reports Asian Lite News
A top Pakistani terrorist commander of the Jaish-e-Mohammad, who is related to terror mastermind JeM chief Masood Azhar, was one of the terrorists killed in an early morning encounter between militants and security forces in South Kashmir’s Pulwama district, officials said on Saturday.
“Top most Pakistani terrorist affiliated with proscribed terror outfit JeM, Lamboo, killed in today’s encounter. Identification of second terrorist being ascertained,” police said.
Police said Mohd. Ismal Alvi, alias Lamboo, was family member of Masood Azhar and was involved in conspiring in the February 2019 Pulwama terror attack in which 40 CRPF personnel were killed.
“Mohd Ismal Alvi, alias Lamboo, alias Adnan, was from family of Masood Azhar. He was involved in conspiracy and planning of Lethpora Pulwama attack and figured in charge sheet produced by NIA,” police said. “He stayed with Adil Dar till the day of fidayeen attack, the viral video of Adil Dar had Lamboo’s voice in it.”
Adil Dar, acting as a Fidayeen, rammed his explosive laden car into the CRPF convoy at Lethpora on the Jammu-Srinagar national highway in Pulwama district on February 14.
The gunfight at Nagberan-Tarsar forest area took place after a joint team of the police and the army cordoned off the area and launched a search operation on the basis of specific information about presence of terrorists.
As the security forces zeroed in on the spot where terrorists were hiding they came under a heavy volume of fire that triggered the encounter.
IG Kashmir Vijay Kumar has congratulated the army and police for the successful anti-terror operation.
Azhar was exchanged along with two other terrorists, Omar Saed Sheikh and Mushtaq Zargar for the safe release of passengers of Indian Airlines Flight 814 which was hijacked to Kandahar in Afghanistan on December 24, 1999.
Second terrorist identified
The second terrorist killed in encounter in the forest area of Namibian and Marsar, general area of Dachigam forest in Kashmir on Saturday has been identified, officials said.
Police said the second slain terrorist has been identified as Sameer Ahmad Dar alias Hanzala Jihadi, resident of Gundibagh, Kakapora Pulwama and was affiliated with proscribed terror outfit Jaish-e-Mohammed.
“As per police records, Sameer Dar alias Hanzala Jihadi was A+ category terrorist and also figured among the list of most wanted terrorists operating in the Valley. He was also involved in 2019 Lethpora Fidayeen attack and figured in NIA’s chargesheet,” police said.
With the elimination of terrorist Sameer Dar, eight terrorists have been killed so far out of 19 terrorists involved in the Lethpora Fidayeen attack, seven terrorists/Over Ground Workers (OGWs) have been arrested and four terrorists are still absconding, police added.
“Sameer Dar was also involved in a series of grenade attacks on Police/Security Forces including attack on Army camp Kakapora, patrolling party at Gundibagh and killing of two CRPF personnel at Chinar Bagh and Railway Kakapora for which several cases are registered against him. He was also influential in motivating and recruiting the youth to join terror folds and brainwashing them to seek new members in the terrorist ranks,” police said.
Major tragedy averted
A major tragedy was averted on Saturday when the security forces detected and successfully defused an improvised explosive device (IED) on Jammu-Poonch highway in Jammu and Kashmir.
Traffic on Jammu-Poonch Highway was suspended for around 3 hours on Saturday after the security forces recovered an IED on the highway.
Sources said specific information was received by the police that suspicious movement has taken place in Dalogra area along the highway.
“Traffic was immediately suspended and an operation was launched during which the security forces detected an IED.
“Bomb disposal squad later successfully defused the IED”, police sources said.