‘Pulwama Attack’s Main Conspirator Killed in Encounter’: Officials

The officials said that in the last 21 weeks, 18 terrorists have been eliminated, out of which 14 were from JeM.

A photo of the 14 February Pulwama terror attack.

(Photo: PTI)

Main conspirator of the Pulwama terror attack was eliminated in an encounter with security forces in Pulwama district of Jammu and Kashmir, officials confirmed on Monday, 11 March.

Addressing a press conference, Indian Army Lieutenant General Kanwal Jeet Singh Dhillon, along with Inspector General (IG) of Kashmir range SP Pani and IG (Operations) CRPF Zulfikar Hussain, said Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM) terrorist Mudasir Ahmed Khan, who was involved in the 14 February Pulwama terror attack, was killed in encounter on Monday, 11 March in the Tral area in south Kashmir.

Forty CRPF personnel were martyred in the attack on their convoy on 14 February.

“JeM's second commander Mudasir, the main conspirator in national highway convoy attack, has been eliminated,” said Lieutenant General Kanwal Jeet Singh Dhillon.

The lesser-known JeM terrorist Khan, alias Mohd Bhai, was identified as the brains behind the terror attack. The 23-year-old, an electrician with a graduate degree hailing from Pulwama district, arranged for the vehicle and explosives used in the terror strike.

The explosive laden vehicle was used by suicide attacker Adil Ahmed Dar. Officials had previously ascertained that Dar was in constant contact with Khan prior to the attack.

"The killing of Mudasir has caused a major dent to the Jaish leadership in the Valley," IG of Kashmir range SP Pani said.

Speaking on the other terrorist killed in the Tral encounter, IG Pani said the actual identity of the second militant has not been ascertained as of now.

"We know that his code was Khalid. We are trying to find his actual identity," he said.

‘18 Terrorists Killed in Last 21 Weeks’

Lieutenant General Dhillon added that in the last 21 weeks, 18 terrorists have been eliminated, out of which 14 were from JeM. He said other terrorists included from groups such as Lashkar-e-Taiba and Hizb-ul- Mujahideen.

(With inputs from PTI)