Slain terrorist in J&K’s Poonch identified as Hizbul commander

Jammu, Aug 7 : The terrorist, who was killed after an infiltration bid was foiled in a joint operation by the police and the Army in the J&Ks Poonch sector, has been identified as the self-styled Divisional Commander of terror outfit Hizbul Mujahideen, a defence spokesperson said on Monday.

The killed terrorist has been identified on the basis of police records as Muneer Hussain, a resident of Bagyladra, Poonch.

He was a dreaded terrorist and Hizbul Mujahideen division commander.

"In 1993 he went to PoK, came back in 1996 and again returned to PoK in 1998.

He has masterminded a number of attacks on the security forces.As per police records, his family of two wives and children are residents of Surankote, Poonch," Defence spokesperson Lt.Col.Suneel Bartwal said.

"Muneer Hussain was a close associate of Maulana Dawood Kashmir (TuJ), who in turn is a close associate of Syed Salauddin (HM).

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The defence spokesperson added that recently a high-level meeting of Hizbul Mujahideen (HM) took place in Islamabad which he attended.Agenda of the meeting was the revival of the terror outfit in Rajouri and Poonch.

"From this we can make out that Muneer Hussain along with his bodyguard was sent with the agenda of reviving HM in Rajouri Poonch / South of Pir-Panjal (SPPR).He was given a larger leadership role of Tanzeems and told to revive terrorism South of Pir Panjal," the Defence spokesperson said.

The defence spokesperson further said that Muneer Hussain was the senior most leader of HM and the most dreaded terrorist killed in the last 10 years in Rajouri and Poonch.

"It is evident that Pakistan is trying to send old terror veterans to J&K to motivate and recruit youth, thus making desperate attempts to revive terrorism," he said.

Earlier, the Army said that in a joint operation by the Indian Army and Jammu and Kashmir Police in the early hours of 6/7 August two infiltrating terrorists were engaged by the joint teams.One terrorist fell down immediately, a second terrorist tried to run back to LoC, engaged and hit and was seen falling down near LoC.

zi/dpb