SRINAGAR: Five days after a top Pakistani commander of Lashkar-e-Toiba Mohammad Asif alias Hashim Moosa, was killed in an encounter with security forces in Palmaidan, Korag forest area of Yousmarg in central Kashmir’s Budgam district, police on Sunday recovered a bag containing eatables and medicines from the adjoining area during the ongoing search operation.
A police official said police during the search operation recovered a bag containing medicines and eatables from the vicinity of Palmaidan, where LeT commander Moosa was killed in an exchange of fire with the security forces on September 29.
Moosa was the most wanted militant and was involved in last year's Pahalgam attack on tourists and half a dozen ambushes on security forces in the last few years.
The police official said the recovered items are suspected to have been intended for the use of the terrorist.
The recovery, the police official said, assumes significance in the context of the ongoing investigation into the circumstances surrounding his presence in the area and the possible network involved in providing him logistical support.
“Police are investigating all relevant aspects of the recovery, including the origin of the consignment, the circumstances in which it was placed at the location, and the possible involvement of overground workers, co-conspirators and other accomplices,” the police official said.
He said further investigation is underway to identify and establish the role of all individuals associated with the suspected logistical support network.
With Moosa's killing, the four-member group of Moosa, which was active in J&K since 2022, has been wiped out. The three other members, Junaid Bhat was killed on Dec 3, 2024, at Dachigam; Suleman on July 28, 2025 in Dachigam and Yasir on September 4 2026.
Moosa had infiltrated into J&K in 2022 and had been operating alongwith his group of three in high-altitude forest areas of border districts of Poonch, Rajouri and other parts of Jammu region.
Moosa’s killing is seen as a big win for security forces as he was trained in jungle warfare, hit and run attacks and other sabotage incidents.
