Anantnag encounter was revenge for our leader's death, claims LeT
A colonel, a major of the Army's Rashtriya Rifles unit, and a deputy superintendent of the Jammu and Kashmir Police were killed in an encounter in Jammu and Kashmir's Anantnag on Wednesday. The Resistance Front, a Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) offshoot, which claimed responsibility for the attack, said it was in retaliation for the assassination of their veteran leader in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (POK) earlier this month.
Know about Anantnag encounter
The gunfight erupted during the intervening night of Tuesday and Wednesday after a joint team of the police and Army launched a counter-terrorism operation in the Gadole area of Anantnag district's Kokernag Tehsil after receiving tip-offs that militants were hiding there. While Colonel Manpreet Singh died on the spot, DSP Himanyun Muzamil Bhat and Major Ashish Dhonack reportedly succumbed to their injuries later.
Our forces persist with unwavering resolve: Kashmir Police
Top LeT commander shot dead last month
Unidentified gunmen shot dead top LeT commander Riyaz Ahmed, codenamed Qasim, inside Al-Qudus mosque in PoK Kashmir's Rawalkot last month. According to reports, his death infuriated his supporters, prompting the retaliatory attack in the Kokernag area of Anantnag district. Ahmed's father was also a terrorist who was assassinated in 2005. This was the fourth such killing of a prominent terrorist commander in 2023 alone.
Late colonel's family reacts to Anantnag encounter
Speaking to the news agency ANI, the late colonel's father-in-law, Jagdev Singh, said, "We got to know it last evening. He has a daughter, and she has an elder brother." "He (Singh) was awarded with Sena Medal a year ago. As per the reports, the body will reach Mohali between 4-5:00pm in the evening," he added.
Check out Colonel Singh's family's reaction
J&K Police 'encircles' 2 LeT terrorists
Meanwhile, security forces continued the anti-militancy operation in Anantnag's Gadool hamlet on Thursday in an effort to apprehend the terrorists responsible for the attack. The Jammu and Kashmir Police said it has "encircled" two LeT terrorists, one of whom has been identified as Uzair Khan. According to officials, the area of operation is lined with dense forests and slopes, providing cover for the militants.
