Saturday | May 03 2025 | 12:49:31 PM
New Delhi, April 25
The security forces have neutralized top Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) commander Altaf Lalli in an encounter in Bandipora. The operation is part of a wider security crackdown to track down LeT terrorists suspected to be involved in the Pahalgam terror attack that claimed 26 lives.
Acting on specific intelligence about the presence of terrorists, a joint search operation was launched by the Indian Army and Jammu and Kashmir Police in Bandipora. The police informed that contact was established with the terrorists, leading to a gunfight.
The officials said that one of the terrorists being pursued by security forces had sustained injuries during the initial exchange of fire. In the same encounter, two police personnel were also injured.
In another development, the houses of two terrorists believed to be involved in the Pahalgam attack were destroyed by security forces and J&K authorities.
While the residence of terrorist Adil Hussain Thoker in Bijbehara was blown up using IEDs, the house of Asif Sheikh in Tral was demolished with a bulldozer, officials said.
Adil Thoker is believed to have played a key role in helping the Pakistani terrorists plan at Pahalgam.
The Anantnag Police has announced a reward of Rs 20 lakh for information on Thoker and two Pakistani nationals Ali Bhai and Hashim Musa who carried out the attack. The sketches of the trio have also been released as security forces launched a massive hunt for the attackers.
The attackers, believed to be 4-5 in number, emerged from the dense pine forest surrounding the Baisaran valley and started firing indiscriminately with AK-47 rifles at tourists.
