Top Hizbul Mujahideen (HM) commander Tahir Ahmed Bhat was killed in an encounter between terrorists and security forces in Doda district, Jammu and Kashmir on Sunday, according to J&K.
A search operation was launched on Saturday night based on inputs about terrorist presence in the district and a village in the area was cordoned by early morning by the forces of police, army, Central Reserved Police Force (CRPF), and Shastra Seema Bal (SSB) forces.
During the search, terrorists hiding in a house opened fire on the armed forces. In the encounter that followed, Tahir Ahmed Bhat was killed.
An AK 47 Rifle and Magazine have been recovered has been recovered from the house, J&K police informed.
Tahir Ahmed Bhat joined terror outfit HM early last year. His name has figured in the fabrication of IED which was exploded near a CRPF convoy at Banihal in March 2019. He had subsequently visited Chenab Valley and was given the task of recruiting youth and reviving HM activities in the Chenab valley.
He was also a part of a group of HM terrorists who killed RSS activist Chandrakant Sharma and his PSO in April 2019. The same AK 47 Rifle which was taken away that time has been recovered after the encounter today, J&K police stated in a press release.
Tahir Bhat was a close associate of present Operational Commander of HM outfit Saifullah and was assigned the task of 'revival of terrorism' in Chenab valley by recruiting more youth.
There has been no militancy in the Chenab valley since the 1990's.
J&K police believe that Bhat's killing will create a huge deterrence to the revival of militancy in Chenab Valley.
"The slain terrorist was directed by his mentors to target the SFs and carry out some sensitive and sensational attacks in Chenab Valley to create insecurity among the people and to disturb the peaceful atmosphere. He was complicit in several terror crimes including attacks on security establishments and civilian atrocities," J&K police stated in the press release.
Sources close to the J&K police state that one army jawan and another terrorist apart from Bhat was also killed in the incident. The encounter started on Sunday morning at the Gundna forest area.