TRF terrorist behind civilian killing shot dead in Bandipora encounter

Based on a tip-off, security forces launched an operation in the Hajin locality of Bandipora to nab Imtiyaz Ahmad Dar, who was behind the killing of civilian Mohammad Shafi Lone.

One of the terrorists involved in the recent killing of civilians in Kashmir has been neutralised by the security forces in Bandipora.

Based on a tip-off, security forces launched an operation in the Hajin locality of Bandipora to nab Imtiyaz Ahmad Dar, who was behind the killing of civilian Mohammad Shafi Lone.

IGP Vijay Kumar confirmed that The Resistance Front-linked terrorist was killed in the exchange of gunfire. 

With this, the security forces have essentially smashed the terror module that was behind of the killing of Lone, the president of a taxi drivers' union in Bandipora on October 5.

Four terrorists linked to the Lashkar-e-Tayiba-affiliate TRF who were nabbed earlier were identified as Mudasir Hassan Lone, Mohammad Shafi Dar,  Tariq Ahmad Dar and Bilal Ah Dar.

The civilian's killing was ordered by their Lashkar handler named Lala Umar, who is based in Pakistan.

There has been a spate of attacks on civilians in Kashmir in recent days.

On the day Mohammad Shafi Lone was shot dead in Bandipora, two others -- 68-year-old chemist Makhan Lal Bindroo and street vendor Virender Paswan from Bihar’s Bhagalpur -- were killed in Srinagar.

Two days later, government school principal Satinder Kour and teacher Deepak Chand were shot at point-blank range by terrorists.

On Saturday evening, terrorists killed two more civilians -- Majid Ahmad Gojri and Mohammad Shafi Dar. 

In view of these incidents, the Union Home Ministry had on Friday dispatched experts, including Intelligence Bureau's head of counter-terror operations Tapan Deka to assist in the capture of the 'lone wolf' terrorists who were behind the targetted killing of minorities in Kashmir.