Two terrorists including the longest surviving self-styled commander of the Lashkar-e-Toiba (LeT) outfit Mohammad Yosuf Kantroo were eliminated by the security forces in an encounter in north Kashmir's Baramulla district of Jammu and Kashmir on early Thursday morning.
However, unconfirmed reports said that Kantroo among three terrorists of LeT was eliminated in the predawn encounter in the Malwah area of Baramulla.
Three soldiers of the Army, a constable of the Jammu and Kashmir Police, and a civilian received minor injuries in the gun battle which started at 3.45 am and is going on till the filing of this report.
Reports said that after getting authentic information about the presence of terrorists in the Malwah area, a joint team of Jammu and Kashmir Police and the Army started a combing operation, and laid a cordon in the area on early Thursday morning.
Taking advantage of the darkness terrorists hiding in a house tried to escape from the spot but to no avail because forces have already cordoned the entire area.
Mohammad Yousuf Kantroo, who had escaped during gunfights a number of times, has been neutralized along with another terrorist, reports said.
Kantroo - a most wanted terrorist of J&K
Within minutes after confirming the killing of LeT self-styled commander Mohammad Yousuf Kantroo, Inspector General of Police (IGP) Kashmir zone, Vijay Kumar termed his elimination as a "big success".
Top LeT terrorist commander Yousuf Kantroo was killed in the Baramulla encounter. He was involved in several killings of civilians and security forces personnel including the recent killing of JKP's SPO and his brother, one soldier, and one civilian in the Budgam district. A big success for us", IGP tweeted.
He said Kantroo was involved in a number of cases and was one of the longest surviving terrorists in the Valley. He was active in central Kashmir Budgam and Srinagar districts beside North Kashmir's Baramulla.
Figured in the list of 10 most wanted terrorists
In August 2021, the Jammu and Kashmir had released a list of 10 most wanted terrorists active in the Union Territory. Kantroo was among those who figured in the most-wanted list.
Mohammad Yousuf Dar alias Kantur alias Kantroo alias Issa was one of the oldest terrorists in the Valley. The 51-year-old was from Check Kawoosa village in central Kashmir's Budgam district. He rejoined terrorism in 2017 and was associated with LeT.
