TIL Desk/National/Srinagar/ Kamran alias Ghazi Rasheed, the mastermind of the Pulwama terror attack on February 14, has been killed in an encounter with security forces in a fresh encounter today. Reports say he was cornered by security forces along with two more terrorists in an encounter that started in the early hours of Monday.
A joint team of Indian Army’s 55 Rashtriya Rifles, CRPF and Special Operation Group launched a cordon and search operation last night. Kamran, a Pakistani national, is believed to have radicalised Kashmiri youth to wage war against India. He is also believed to be an IED expert.
However, the victory came at a heavy cost, with four Army personnel, including a major, killed in the gun battle. A civilian was also killed in the exchange of fire in the encounter which took place in the Pinglan area of south Kashmir’s Pulwama district.
Security forces launched a cordon and search operation during the night after receiving inputs about the presence of militants in the area, a police official said. Militants fired at forces as the searches got under way, triggering a gun battle, officials said. The Jaish-e-Mohammed has claimed responsibility for the February 14 terror attack that left 40 Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) personnel dead and five critically wounded.
