The Jammu and Kashmir police on Wednesday gunned down a top militant of the Jaish-e-Mohammad at Dana Mazar in downtown Srinagar.
The state police recovered six AK-47 rifles, two pistols, three carbines and a huge quantity of ammunition and explosives from site of the encounter.
Nasir Mehmood Ahwan alias Ansaar was a close associate of slain Jaish militant Ghazi Baba, State Director General of Police Gopal Sharma told mediapersons at a press conference in Srinagar.
Ghazi Baba, who was in charge of the outfit in the Kashmir valley, was gunned down on August 30 in Srinagar.
Ansaar, a resident of Pakistan, was allegedly involved in about 20 killings of security and police personnel. He was number two in the Jaish hierarchy after Sehrai Baba following the killing of Ghazi Baba and his deputy Rashid on August 30.
Sharma said the encounter took place when a police and Border Security Force party was on its way to a hideout of the outfit at Dana Mazar near Safakadal in the old city.
Soon after the killing of Ghazi Baba, the police had launched an offensive against the militants operating in the Kashmir valley, especially in Srinagar, and arrested two persons, Bashir Ahmad Gojri and Manzoor Ahmad Baba.
Their interrogation led to the unearthing of 12 JeM hideouts and the recovery of huge quantity of arms and ammunition, Sharma said. Eleven persons, who were either harbouring militants or sympathising with them, were also arrested.
Ahwan's killing, and the arrest of 11 overground workers of the Jaish-e-Mohammad, has dealt a severe blow to the outfit, Sharma said.
Ansaar was, among other things, involved in the suicide attack on the army camp at Kulpura. Those whom he had killed included sub-inspector Fauza Singh at Karan Nagar, two army personnel at Batmaloo, one CRPF and BSF jawan each at Dalgate, a BSF jawan at Regal cinema, a BSF jawan at Lal Chowk, a policeman of the flying squad at Batmaloo, a BSF jawan at Qammerwari, two army jawans at Lolab and a policeman at Lal Chowk, the DGP said.
