Top Hizbul terrorist killed in encounter with security forces in J&K

JAMMU: A top Hizbul Mujahideen terrorist was killed by security forces while one of his accomplices escaped during an encounter in Jammu and Kashmir's Doda district on Wednesday, officials said.

The encounter between the ultras and a joint team of Army and police personnel took place in the district's Gondana belt, Public Relations Officer, Defence, Jammu, Lt Col Devender Anand, said.

Security forces had received information about the presence of terrorists in the area, the officials said.

In the gun battle, Hizbul Mujahideen's Haroon Wani, an A++ category terrorist, was killed. He belonged to the Gattah belt of the district, Deputy Inspector General of Police, Doda-Kishtwar-Ramban Range, Sujit Kumar, said.

He said another terrorist fled towards higher snowbound areas and operations are on to track him.

Kumar said an AK-47 rifle, three magazines, 73 rounds, a Chinese grenade and a radio set have been recovered from Haroon.

Doda Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) Mumtaz Ahmed said after launching a search operation last night, joint teams of security forces succeeded in killing the wanted terrorist at 8 am on Wednesday.

Haroon was the active district commander of Hizbul Mujahideen, he said.

Son of Ghulam Abbas Wani, an engineer and a resident of Furqaan Abad Ghat area of Doda, Haroon first came into the limelight after a photo of him holding an AK-47 rifle went viral on social media in September 2018 when he joined the banned terror outfit, the officials said.

Haroon was one of the eight children of Ghulam Abbas Wani -- five sons and three daughters -- all of whom are highly qualified, they said.

Before joining Hizbul Mujahideen, he completed his MBA from the Katra University and was working in a private company, they added.

According to his relatives, he was a brilliant student.