Self-styled Kashmir JeM chief among 3 terrorists killed

Srinagar: In a major success on the eve of Republic Day, security forces on Saturday killed three terrorists including the self-styled Kashmir chief of Jaish-e-Mohammad Qari Yasir, who was involved in last year's Pulwama attack in which 40 CRPF personnel died, police and army officers said.

Addressing a joint press conference, General-Officer-Commanding of the Srinagar-based Chinar Corps, Lt Gen KJS Dhillon and Inspector General of Police, Kashmir, Vijay Kumar said the terrorist group was planning a major attack on the Republic Day, which has now been averted.

"We have neutralised three militants in the Tral encounter and one of them is Qari Yasir who was a self-styled Kashmir chief of JeM. He was involved in last year's February (IED) blast and also Lethpora (IED) blast. He was an IED expert and was involved in recruitment as well as relocation of militants coming in from Pakistan," Kumar said.

Three army personnel were injured in the initial firing and have been hospitalised.

The IGP said the police had been getting regular inputs about an IED attack in Srinagar or its surroundings.

"We were getting the names of Burhan and Yasir. Moosa, a buddy and a second-in-command of Yasir was also with him and we are sure once we identify the bodies, one of them will be Yasir as we had inputs about his presence there," he said, adding Yasir and Moosa belong to Pakistan, while Burhan was a local.

Lt Gen Dhillon said with the killing of the three militants a major incident on January 26 has been averted .

The JeM module was active and was planning to do something sensational on the Republic day, he said.

He said the operation was still on.

The GoC said after last year's Pulwama attack, the JeM leadership was targeted and neutralised totally, but the group was trying to resuscitate itself.