Top LeT militant Babar Ali killed in Bandipora encounter: Police
‘He had escaped during July 24 gunfight at Sumlar-Argam woods, tracked his movement since then’
Srinagar, Aug 03, 2021 : A top Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) militant Babar Ali from Pakistan was killed during an encounter that broke out between militants and security forces in Dard Gund locality of Chandaji in North kashmir’s Bandipora district on Tuesday, police said.
A senior police officer, who was also a part this operation, told news agency—Kashmir News Observer (KNO), that the top militant identified as identified as Babar Ali of Ugada district of Punjab, Pakistan was killed today after he was tracked by security forces.
He said that that the slain was escaped during Sumlar-Aragam encounter on July 24 since then he was continuously tracked and was subsequently killed in today encounter.
The officer said the slain militant and other three including a local militant Shakir Altaf Baba of Bandipora who ex-filtrated in 2018 were killed during Sumlar-Aragam gunfight was the same group which had infiltrated recently.
Earlier, official said that a Joint team of security forces launched a cordon and search operation after “specific inputs” about the presence of militants in Dard Gund area of Chandaji.
“As the security forces approached the suspected spot, the hiding militants fired upon them, which was retaliated, triggering an encounter,” he said, adding that Babar Ali was killed while arms and ammunition and incriminating material was recovered from the site of encounter
A police spokesman in a statement said that a foreign LeT militant Babar Ali who had escaped from Shokbaba encounter on 24 July was killed in an encounter at Chandajji forest area of Bandipora today.
It is pertinent to mention that, on 23/24 July 03 militants of proscribed terror outfit LeT including Sharik Altaf (who had ex-filtrated in 2018) were killed in Shokbaba encounter.
However, militant Babar Ali had managed to escape from the said encounter site and was being continuously tracked rigorously thereafter. In furtherance of the tracking and after pinpointing his presence in Chandajji forest area today a joint operation was launched by Police, 26 Assam Rifles & CRPF in the area.
During the search operation, the hiding militant fired upon the search party which was retaliated leading to an encounter. In the ensuing encounter, the hiding militant Babar Ali resident of Ugada district of Punjab Pakistan was killed and his body was retrieved from the site of encounter.
Incriminating materials, arms and ammunition including 01 AK-rifle, 02 AK-Magazines, 40 AK-rounds, 01 pouch, 01 wireless set and 01 medicine bag were recovered from the site of encounter.
IGP Kashmir congratulated joint team of Police/SF for successfully tracking down the militant and conducting operation in a professional manner without any collateral damage. In this connection, Police has registered a case under relevant sections of law and investigation has been initiated—(KNO)
