india

Updated: Mar 11, 2019 16:28 IST

A Jaish-e-Mohammed terrorist who was a key-conspirator of the Pulwama terror attack was killed in an encounter in south Kashmir’s Tral on Monday, the Army has said.

Three Jaish terrorists were killed in the Tral encounter. “Jaish commander Mudassar Khan was among the terrorists killed in the encounter. He was the main conspirator of the Pulwama terror attack,” said Lt Gen KJS Dhillon, General Officer Commanding (GOC) of the Srinagar-based 15 Corps .

The Army said 18 terrorists have been killed in the last 21 days.

News agency PTI reported that Mudassar Khan has been identified as the brain behind the Pulwama terror sucide attack that killed 40 Central Reserve Police Force personnel on February 14.

Also read: ‘Will kill anyone who picks up gun in Kashmir Valley,’ says Army

The CRPF personnel were killed when a Jaish terrorist rammed an explosives-laden vehicle -- a Maruti Eeco minivan -- into their bus. Adil Ahmed Dar, who blew the explosive-laden vehicle had been in constant contact with Khan, PTI quoted officials as saying.

Twenty-three-year-old Mudassar Khan is an electrician with a graduate degree. He is resident of Pulwama and arranged the vehicle and explosives used in the Pulwama attack, PTI reported.

The security forces launched a cordon and search operation in the area in Tral after receiving specific intelligence input about the presence of militants in the area. The operation turned into an encounter after the militants opened fire at the search party of the forces who retaliated.

Also read: Eliminated Jaish leadership that planned Pulwama attack within 100 hours, says army