Pulwama: Hizbul Mujahideen commander Sabzar Ahmad Bhat, who succeeded Burhan Wani, was on Saturday killed along with another terrorist in an encounter with security forces in Tral area of Kashmir’s Pulwama district.
Soon after the killings, stone-pelting protests have started at several places in the Valley.
Director General of Police S P Vaid said that Burhan Wani’s successor Sabzar Ahmad Bhat is among the two terrorists killed in the encounter in Soimoh area of Tral on Saturday morning.
Security forces launched a cordon and search operation in Soimoh village of Tral, following information about presence of some top Hizbul Mujahideen terrorists in the area, a police official said.
He said the operation was launched after terrorists opened firing on an army patrol in Tral area on Friday night.
The official said as the security forces were closing on the building where the terrorists were hiding, the ultras opened fire.
Two more terrorists were killed, bringing the total up to six so far as the Indian Army successfully foiled an infiltration bid in Rampur sector of Jammu and Kashmir on Saturday.
Earlier in the day, four terrorists were neutralised by the army.
The area has been cordoned off and is being sanitised to check for remaining untoward elements.
Based on a specific input, an ambush was laid by army troops about 10 km south of Rampur around 7:30 pm on Friday.
A contact was established with the intruders and the firefight lasted till 8:20 pm.
The bodies are however yet to be recovered.
A search is currently in progress to recover the neutralised terrorists and other stores.
Meanwhile, around two-three terrorists are trapped and a massive encounter is underway in Saimu Tral sector of Jammu and Kashmir, as security forces are trying to smoke them out from their hideouts.
A major counter- operation is underway.
