India: Suspected Lashkar-e-Taiba terrorist gunned down in Kashmir’s Bandipora

Security forces have gunned down a suspected terrorist in an ongoing encounter in the Ketson forest region of north Kashmir’s Bandipora on Tuesday (Nov. 5). Reports suggest the individual was linked to the Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) group. The encounter broke out as security forces tracked the group based on intelligence inputs.

As per media reports, the operation was initiated after a joint security team received information that two armed terrorists, thought to be foreign terrorists (FTs), were attempting to cross into Kupwara's Lolab area. These suspects were reportedly involved in an attack on an army camp along Panhaar Road in Bandipora on November 1, after which they fled into the district's dense forests. Since then, security forces have intensified search operations in the area.

Security personnel located and engaged the two suspects in Bandipora’s Katsuna forest area, resulting in a gunfight. One terrorist was killed in the clash, while the second, also believed to be from the LeT, continued to exchange gunfire with the forces.

In a separate operation, Jammu and Kashmir police, along with the 22 Rashtriya Rifles (RR) and 92 Battalion of the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF), arrested a suspected terrorist associate,identified as Ashiq Hussain Wani from Tujar Shareef in Sopore, on Tuesday. The police said that Wani was found with a pistol, seven live rounds, and a magazine.

This intensified crackdown on terrorist activities follows a recent grenade attack in Srinagar on Sunday, which left 12 people, including a woman, injured.

Srinagar police have invoked sections of the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA) in response to the attack. Reacting to the incident, J&K Chief Minister Omar Abdullah said that there is “no justification for targeting innocent civilians.”

(With inputs from agencies)