Additional DGP (Kashmir) Vijay Kumar on Tuesday said top Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) commander Uzair Khan is among the two terrorists killed during the Kokernag encounter that has stretched to seven days.
This is one of the longest encounters in Jammu and Kashmir.
The ADGP said the encounter has ended but search operations in the vast and rugged area would continue and the ammunition and explosives recovered from the terrorists would be destroyed.
He said the weapon of Khan has been recovered and his body is being retrieved. The body of another terrorist has been seen and search was on for other dead terrorists.
Police suspect involvement of two to three terrorists in the encounter.
Khan was the kingpin in the killing of three officers and a soldier of security forces.
The Kashmir Zone Police had said on Thursday morning that two to three LET terrorists, including Uzair Khan, have been encircled. Khan, who had joined the terrorist ranks last year, was acting as the LET commander in the area as he is well-versed of the forest topography and its adjoining localities.
Meanwhile, Lt. Governor Manoj Sinha and top Army officers on Tuesday paid homage to Sepoy Pardeep Singh, who was killed by terrorists on 13 September during the Kokernag Operation and his body was found in the jungle on Monday.
Sinha laid a wreath on the soldier’s body and wrote on X; “Paid homage to our braveheart Sep Pardeep Singh, martyred during anti-terror operation in Anantnag. I bow to his exemplary courage and sacrifice”.
Sepoy Pradeep Singh (27), who was missing since 13 September was found dead at approximately 5 pm on 18 September. He was from Patiala in Punjab and was in the Sikh Light Infantry but was at the time of the Operation against terrorists in the Garol forest deployed in 19 Rashtriya Rifles (RR).
Commander of the Chinar Corps, Lt. General Rajiv Ghai along with numerous other dignitaries laid wreaths at Badami Bagh Cantonment to pay homage to the Braveheart, Sepoy Pardeep Singh who made the supreme sacrifice in the line of duty while fighting with terrorists.
The mortal remains of the martyr would be laid to rest with full military honour at his hometown.
Northern Army Commander, Lt. General Upendra Dwivedi also offered “deepest condolences and salute” the braveheart.
Colonel Manpreet Singh, Commanding Officer of 19 RR that has eliminated several top terrorists, Major Ashish Dhonchak and DSP Himayun Bhat were killed during the initial firefight on 13 September.
Meanwhile, terrorists on Monday night fired at a bullet proof vehicle of CRPF in downtown Srinagar.
Srinagar Police wrote on X; “There was an attempted attack by pistol borne terrorist on BP vehicle of CRPF in khanyar area which was repelled by alert personnel. The terrorist was chased away by personnel, who showed wise restraint due to potential collateral damage. No injury to life or property reported.”