J&K encounter: How ‘biscuit’ played key role in Lashkar-e-Taiba commander Usman’s killing in Srinagar
Police said the high-profile terrorist was killed in an encounter with security forces in the Khanyar area of Srinagar, Jammu and Kashmir, on Saturday.
A foolproof plan and an unconventional solution – biscuits – helped security forces kill Usman, a commander of the Pakistan-based terror organisation Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT), on Saturday.
Kashmir General of Police (IGP) VK Birdi said the high-profile terrorist was killed in an encounter with security forces in the Khanyar area of Srinagar, Jammu and Kashmir, on Saturday.
"Security forces have killed a terrorist, who has been identified as Usman...he was the commander of LeT, and four security personnel were injured. He is a foreign terrorist and his role and involvement in the murder of Inspector Masroor has come to light and further investigation is being done in this regard...," Birdi said.
The anti-terror operation involved a joint effort from the local police and the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF).
The strategic planning
Usman was well familiar with the Valley terrain. When intelligence indicated Usman's presence in a residential area, a nine-hour planning phase ensued to ensure the operation's success without collateral damage, officials were quoted by news agency PTI, as saying.
The presence of stray dogs in the area was a significant concern. It was anticipated that the barking of these dogs could potentially alert the terrorist.
To counter this, search teams were equipped with biscuits to pacify the dogs as they approached their target. The entire deployment was done before Fajar (pre-dawn prayers), with security forces cordoning off a cluster of 30 homes.
The standoff escalated when Usman – armed with an AK-47, a pistol, and numerous grenades – engaged in a fierce gunfire exchange with the security forces.
Usman was killed after several hours of intense gunfire. Four security personnel were also injured in the encounter. They were reported to be in stable condition.
Usman was a significant figure in orchestrating numerous terror attacks since his initial activity in the early 2000s. After a stint in Pakistan, he had infiltrated back into the region around 2016-17 and was implicated in the shooting of police inspector Masroor Wani last year.
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Business NewsNewsIndiaJ&K encounter: How ‘biscuit’ played key role in Lashkar-e-Taiba commander Usman’s killing in Srinagar
First Published:3 Nov 2024, 10:31 PM IST
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