Trapped tactically by security forces in a house
Hunt on for another group in Kishtwar hills
Sanjeev Pargal
JAMMU, Jan 23: In a major success which comes after several contacts, security forces today gunned down a dreaded commander of Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM) outfit and Pakistani terrorist Usmaan alias Abu Maviya, who was operating in the mountains of Kathua and Udhampur districts for past quite some time, at village Parhetar in upper reaches of Billawar in Kathua district.
He was involved in several attacks on security forces in the hilly belt of Kathua and Udhampur districts and was part of a group of three terrorists-two others being Zubair and Maavi, also Pakistanis affiliated with JeM outfit.
“Recovery of M4 rifle from the possession of slain terrorist confirmed that he was in the rank of commander,” officials told the Excelsior.
They said security forces, who were carrying out search operations at different places in Billawar forests got specific input that the terrorists are running short of food and their commander will come down to collect cooked ration at village Parhetar. Accordingly, a secret cordon was maintained in the area.
As soon as the terrorist came down and entered a house, the security personnel surrounded him. The terrorist opened firing from his M4 rifle but was eliminated in retaliatory firing by security forces. The encounter was very brief as it lasted only few minutes.
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There were no other casualties, the officials said, adding body of the terrorist has been recovered along with M4 rifle and ammunition.
Inspector General of Police, Jammu range, Bhim Sen Tuti, said the terrorist was gunned down during a joint operation in the general area of Billawar.
“A Pakistani Jaish terrorist has been neutralised by a small JKP (J&K Police) team in a joint operation with the Army and CRPF in the general area of Billawar,” the Jammu police chief said in a post on X.
Officials identified the deceased terrorist as JeM commander Usman alias “Abu Maviya”.
“Acting on specific intelligence inputs, joint operation was launched by Army and Police on 23 Jan in general area Parhetar. Area was cordoned and contact established. In a precise strike by the joint forces, one foreign terrorist has been eliminated,” Army’s Rising Star Corps said in a separate post on X.
It said the search operations are continuing when the last reports were received.
The officials said Usman was one of the most wanted JeM terrorists active in the Udhampur-Kathua belt for the past quite some time after infiltrating into this side from across the border and was involved in several attacks on security forces. He was trapped in the encounters a number of times but he managed to escape, the latest being on January 7 and 13 in Kahog and Najote forests, of Billawar respectively.
“The focus now is on elimination of Zubair and Maavi, the two associates of Usmaan, who are also active in the Billawar forests. However, the terrorists keep shuttling between Kathua and Udhampur mountains to survive,” the officials said but added that security forces are maintaining strict surveillance in upper reaches of both the districts to neutralize the terrorists.
Meanwhile, security forces continued their anti-terror operation to hunt down three JeM terrorists in Sonnar, Mandral-Singhpora and adjoining forest areas in Chatroo belt of Kishtwar district for the sixth day today.
The operation continued despite snowfall in the area, the officials said.
Named by the Army as ‘Operation Trashi-I’, the operation was launched in the area on Sunday, leading to a gunfight in which one paratrooper was martyred and seven soldiers injured, primarily due to splinter injuries caused by a sudden grenade attack from the hiding terrorists.
After four days of lull, another encounter took place between the holed-up terrorists and security forces on Thursday, but the success eluded the security forces as the terrorists managed their escape, taking advantage of thick vegetation and challenging topography.
A major terrorist hideout was busted during the operation on Monday.
The encounters followed a major counter-terrorist operation launched in the forest belts of different hilly districts in Jammu region in December last year to flush out the holed-up terrorists.
Operations have been further intensified in the run-up to Republic Day to ensure peaceful celebrations, amid intelligence inputs about desperate attempts by Pakistan-based handlers to push more terrorists, the officials said.
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