Posted on 03/12/2003 1:21:29 PM PST by swarthyguy
NEW DELHI, Mar 12: A plan of Pakistan-based Jaish-e-Mohammad terrorist outfit to carry out a strike in Delhi or Mumbai similar to the Parliament attack was foiled today with the killing of a top Pakistani terrorist of the outfit in Noida adjoining the national capital.
His unidentified accomplice, however, managed to escape during the encounter between the two terrorists and a joint team of Special Task Force (STF) of Uttar Pradesh and Noida Police.
Manzoor Dar alias Sirajudin Khan, JeM area commander of Baramulla district in Jammu and Kashmir hailing from Sakkar in Pakistan’s Sindh province, was killed at around 2:30 am in Sector 24 of Noida in an exchange of fire, STF senior Superintendent of Police Rajiv Ranjan Verma told PTI.
The encounter took place when the terrorists fired at the police party which was chasing them, Verma said, adding at least 37 rounds were fired by the terrorists.
The two, riding a motorcycle, were intercepted following information that they would be proceeding to a specific spot to meet a contact, said Verma, who headed the operation.
When signalled to stop, they tried to run away but after a brief chase the cops cornered them following which the gun-battle erupted.
An AK-47 rifle, its two magazines, two hand grenades and a large quantity of ammunition were recovered from him, Verma said.
The encounter comes barely two days after two jem terrorists Ejaz Hussain and Mehraj were arrested in Muzaffarnagar.
Dar, along with Ejaz and Mehraj had come to Delhi in September last year and carried out recce of Parliament house, India Gate and some other crowded places, Verma said.
Later, Dar travelled to Mumbai where he conducted a survey of Mumbai Stock Exchange and other crowded places with an intention of carrying out an attack, he added.
A hunt has been launched for at least three other associates of Dar, including the one who escaped. At least three teams have been despatched to Muzaffarnagar for the purpose.
The terrorists are believed to have been despatched by JeM so-called commander-in-chief in India Ghazi Baba.
Police sources said it was this plan of JeM that had heightened the threat perception to India Gate prompting the authorities to close the memorial, a big tourist attraction and also a popular place for locals, to public for about two weeks from February 21. It was, however, reopened to public recently. (PTI)
JAMMU, Mar 12: Security forces today killed four militants in three separate encounters while death toll in last night’s explosion in Rajouri town today rose to two with one more victim succumbing to his injuries in the Medical College hospital.
Official sources said a blast victim Bodh Raj son of Gian Chand succumbed to his injuries in the hospital in early hours of this morning. He was critically injured in the explosion and was shifted to the Medical College. His body was handed over to his family this afternoon after post-mortem.
A sweets shop owner Ashwani Khajuria was killed on spot and nine others were injured in a transistor IED blast last night.
A complete bandh was observed in Rajouri town today in protest against the blast. All shops and business establishments remained closed in response to the bandh call. Over 8,000 people from all walks of life joined cremation of Khajuria. Deputy Commissioner Manoj Kumar Dwivedi and SSP Prithvi Raj Manhas assured the people that the authorities would provide all possible help to the families of the blast victims.
Meanwhile, security forces today eliminated two militants of Harkat-ul-Mujahideen outfit in an encounter in Kishtwar tehsil in Doda district this morning. Slain militants have been identified as Farooq Ahmed Shaikh alias Junid son of Ghulam Hussain Shaikh R/o Chhaba and Shada Mir son of Lassa Mir R/o Bitola. Both of them were activists of HUM outfit.
Two AK rifles, two magazines and 37 rounds were recovered from the scene of encounter, the sources said, adding a search operation in the area was going on in view of the reports that some more militants were present in the area.
Another militant was shot dead in a joint encounter by army and police at village Dara Sangla in Surankote tehsil in Poonch district early today. He has been identified as Khalid Zubair, a Pakistani belonging to 313 Brigade of Harkat-ul-Jehad Islami (HUJI) outfit.
Two associates of Khalid Zubair escaped during the encounter and were being chased by the security personnel. One AK rifle and three hand grenades were recovered from the slain ultra.
Another militant was killed by the security forces at Morha Kalar in Dudasan area of Thanna Mandi. He was identified as Ahmed Abid Ayaz of Lashkar-e-Toiba (LeT) outfit. One AK-56 rifle, four magazines, two hand grenades, 117 rounds and one pouch were recovered from the possession of Ayaz.
In all three operations, security forces didn’t suffer any casualties.
A woman harbourer of the militants, Hanifa Begum R/o Chandri was arrested by security forces today. From her possession, one radio set, two AK magazines and three hand grenades were recovered.
Meanwhile, police reported that three teen-aged boys were missing from their houses at village Pangai in Thanna Mandi for last few days. They have been identified as Ghulam Abbas, 10, son of Ghulam Qadir, Altaf Hussain, 11, son of Barkat Hussain and Mohd Altaf, 12, son of Gulzar Hussain.
Police was investigating the case. Possibility of the boys having been kidnapped by the militants was not ruled out.
Three more shops were allegedly looted by the militants at Hujan, Darhal in Rajouri last night. Earlier, seven shops were looted by the ultras in Nerojal. Besides this, the militants also took away eatables from the shop.
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