SRINAGAR: The 4-ft tall top commander of Pakistan-based militant group Jaish-e-Mohammad Noor Mohammad Tantray, who had jumped parole last in 2015 and was the brain behind two suicide militant attacks in Valley this year, was killed in an encounter with security forces in Samboora area of south Kashmir in Jammu and Kashmir on Tuesday.
Deputy Inspector General (DIG) south Kashmir, S P Pani told New Indian Express that police, CRPF and army men on a specific information about the presence of militants launched combing and search operation at Samboora area of south Kashmir’s Pulwama district last evening.
He said during the search operation, militants present in a house fired on the search party.
“The fire was returned by the troops and in the ensuing gunfight, Jaish top commander Noor Mohammad Tantray was killed,” the DIG said.
Sources said the house, where from Tantray was firing on security forces, was damaged during the gunfight.
They said two of his accomplices managed to escape during the gunfight.
Noor was 46-year-old and 4 ft tall.
Terming his killing as a major jolt to Jaish, the police officer said, “Noor was the logistic commander of the outfit.”
“His killing is a major jolt for Jaish as it has become directionless now,” he said.
Another police officer said 4 ft tall Noor used to look after logistics of local and foreign militants of Jaish.
“Besides, he used to assign ‘tasks’ to the militants for carrying out attacks. He was the brain behind two fidayeen attacks --- District Police Lines Pulwama in August this year in which eight security personnel were killed and on BSF camp near heavily guarded Srinagar airport in October this year in which ASI of BSF were killed and four security men injured,” he said.
The official said Noor was also involved in some other militant attacks in the south and central Kashmir.
He said Noor got exposed in July this year after an encounter in Aripal area of south Kashmir left three Jaish militants dead.
“After being exposed, he went underground and soon became the key man of Jaish in coordinating and organising attacks at different places,” the official said adding his name had also figured during investigations in militant attack on J&K minister’s convoy in Tral area of Pulwama in September this year in which three civilians were killed.
Noor had jumped parole granted to him by a court in 2015 and was on the run since then.
He was arrested in Sadar Bazar, Delhi on August 31, 2003, for his alleged links with then Jaish commander Ghazi Baba, who was the mastermind of 2001 parliament attack, and charged with conspiracy to carry out militants attacks in the national capital.
In 2011, Noor was convicted and sentenced to life imprisonment by POTA court in Delhi and lodged in Tihar jail. He was shifted to Central Jail, Srinagar in 2015 before being released on parole.
A police official said once out of jail, he again revived his contacts with Jaish and began to work for the militant group as major Over Ground Worker (OGW).
“He, however, directly plunged into militancy this year after being exposed during a gunfight. He had escaped many encounters in the past but his luck ran out today and was killed in an encounter with security forces,” he said.