Top LeT terrorist Abu Dujana killed in Pulwama encounter: Security forces blasted house he was hiding in

Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) divisional commander Abu Dujana has been gunned down by security forces in Jammu and Kashmir after an encounter broke out early on Tuesday in south Kashmir’s Pulwama district, media reports said. According to The Times of India, another LeT terrorist Arif Lilhaari has also been killed in the encounter. Acting on specific intelligence input about the presence of militants in Hakripora village of Pulwama, Jammu and Kashmir Police and Rashtriya Rifles, according to  India Today, launched a cordon and search operation in the area.

#BREAKIING: LeT terrorist, Abu Dujana, killed in an encounter with security forces in South Kashmir's Pulwama pic.twitter.com/AvM59iWQWf

— News18 (@CNNnews18) August 1, 2017

During the operation, the terrorists opened fire, prompting retaliation from the forces which triggered a gunbattle. Dujana was reportedly trapped inside a house in the village, Greater Kashmir reported. The forces then set the house ablaze in a bid to flush the terrorists out, CNN-News18 reported. According to News18, the operations began at around 4.30 am on Tuesday. Dujana was believed to be on the first floor of the house along with an aide. The last fire was heard at around 9.30 am, with Dujana reportedly getting trapped in the debris. Two other terrorists along with Dujana and Lilhaari were also trapped in the encounter, The Times of India reported. However, their fate is yet to be determined.

#PulwamaEncounter: The house in which the terrorists are holding up has been set on fire by the security forces to flush out the terrorists pic.twitter.com/30aMZ5wUaq

— News18 (@CNNnews18) August 1, 2017

After the firing stopped, the presence of civilians and heavy stone-pelting thwarted the forces’ attempts to remove debris and take the bodies out. The forces recovered a partially charred body of Dujana, CNN-News18 reported. The Jammu and Kashmir Police then gave an official confirmation on gunning down both Dujana and his aide.

LET chief Commander Abu Dujana of Pakistan alongwith his accomplice killed in Hakripora Pulwama. Huge achievement for police & SF.

— J&K Police (@JmuKmrPolice) August 1, 2017

Tuesday was not the first time the LeT divisional commander was traced by the security forces. According to Greater Kashmir, Dujana and two of his associates had exchanged fire with the forces on 19 July in Banderpora village, and had escaped from the spot. In May, Dujana had managed to flee from the sight of the forces after an anti-militancy operation was called off due to mob stone-pelting in Pulwama district. It was the fifth time he had closely escaped an encounter. With inputs from PTI