Police said top Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) commander Yusuf Kantru, one of the longest-living militants in the Valley, was one of the three terrorists killed in Baramulla district on Thursday. He said Kantro was involved in the killings of several security forces personnel as well as civilians and was among the top 10 most wanted militants in the Kashmir Valley.
A police spokesman said the killing of Kantro was a major success for the security forces. Acting on specific information about the presence of terrorists in Malwah area of North Kashmir’s Baramulla, the security forces launched a cordon and search operation there, he said.
During the operation, as the search party reached the suspected spot, the hiding terrorists fired indiscriminately at them, injuring four soldiers, including an officer and a policeman, the spokesman said. He said that in the ensuing encounter, three terrorists of banned terror outfit Lashkar including dreaded terrorist Commander Kantro were killed and their bodies were recovered from the encounter site.
Kantro had earlier joined HM (Hizbul Mujahideen) organization as an OGW and was arrested in 2005. He was released in 2008, but he again joined the terrorist ranks in 2017 and started killing innocent civilians, policemen and political activists. Later, he moved from HM to Lashkar-e-Taiba terror outfit, the official said. The spokesman said the identity of the other slain militants was being ascertained.
He said the injured policeman has been admitted to the Army Base Hospital in Srinagar. The spokesperson said that as per police records, all three were made part of terrorist and groups involved in several terror crime cases including attacks on police/security forces and atrocities on civilians.
Kantro was involved in dozens of civilian atrocities and killings of security forces personnel, including the killing of SPO Mohammad Ishfaq Dar and his brother Umar Ahmed Dar, residents of Chattabug Budgam, in March this year. The spokesman said that he was also involved in the assassination of BDC President Sardar Bhupinder Singh in Khag, Budgam in September 2020. He (Kantru) was also involved in the killings of the NC Block President at Natipora Chanapora in Srinagar; Guttapora Budgam resident Tajmul Mohideen Dar in March; Gulzar Ahmed of Lawaypora in Narbal; Tanveer Zargar of Cheva in Narbal; Nazir Ahmed Dar (an employee of the Health Department) and a resident of Varihama, Varihama; Pattan Sarpanch Manzoor Ahmed, the spokesperson said.
Contro was also involved in grenade throwing incidents, including the killing of CRPF jawan Riyaz Ahmed Rather, a resident of Navgam Anantnag in Kanihama in December 2017, the abduction and murder of constable Mohammad Ashraf Rather alias Ishfaq, a resident of Archanarhama Magam, the kidnapping and Lokipora in March this year. Killing of army jawan Mohammad Sameer Malla, resident of Khag, killing of SPO Mohammad Altaf during an encounter in Peth-Janigam, killing of former SPO Naseer Ahmed Khan, resident of Buchipora Kawoosa, Khalisa, he said. He was also involved in snatching four AK rifles from the residence of former MLA Muzaffar Pare. Further, on his instructions, Abrar Nadeem (passive terrorist) attacked the CRPF at Lawaypora Srinagar in which three CRPF personnel were martyred in March last year, the spokesperson said.
He said the slain commander was also involved in recruiting innocent/naive youths into terror groups, including recruiting Faisal Hafeez Dar of Aripanth Magam, into terrorist ranks. Incriminating material and arms and ammunition were recovered from the encounter site. The spokesman said that all the recovered materials have been taken on the case record for further investigation.
He said two more terrorists are still under the cordon and firing is on. Further information will be shared accordingly, the official said. Inspector General of Police, Kashmir, Vijay Kumar congratulated the forces for carrying out a successful anti-terrorist operation by eliminating the top most wanted terrorist.
Commenting on a video in which the mother of a terrorist who is in mourning near the encounter site is heard saying, “Come back my son, you are very young and innocent, these old brutal terrorists have betrayed you, they There are pick-pocketers and goons who are wooing innocent and young boys, IGP Kashmir appeals to the parents of other terrorists to ask their children to give up the path of violence.
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