POONCH : Security forces thwarted an infiltration attempt and a plot by the outlawed organisation to resume its operations in Jammu and Kashmir’s Poonch district early on Monday, according to officials. The proscribed organization’s self-styled divisional commander and his bodyguard were killed in the incident.
While the body of Hizbul leader Muneser Hussain was recovered, the officials reported that the body of his bodyguard was still lying close to the Line of Control (LoC) in the Degwar sector.
In the early morning hours, troops in the Degwar sector spotted some terrorists moving around while trying to enter this side while it was still dark and engaged them in a confrontation, according to the officials.
A composite team of the Army and police battled the two infiltrating terrorists in the Garhi Battalion area at around two in the morning, according to Jammu-based defence PRO Lt Col Suneel Bartwal.
The second terrorist attempted to flee back to the Line of Control but was engaged and struck before collapsing to the ground, according to the officer.
He claimed that Degwar Terva was the approximate location where the terrorists’ movements had been seen.
According to Lt Col Bartwal, a dead terrorist’s body was found and identified as Hussain, a native of the Poonch hamlet of Bagyladra and a self-described Divisional Commander of the Hizbul Mujahideen, based on police records.
“He left for military training in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK) in 1993 and returned there three years later. Before going back to PoK in 1998, he organised several attacks on Security Forces, the officer stated.
Hussain, who has two wives and numerous kids, was close with Maulana Dawood Kashmiri, who was tight with Hizbul leader Syed Salauddin in PoK, he claimed.
According to him, Hussain and his bodyguard were believed to have been deployed with the intention of resurrecting terrorism in the region south of the Pir-Panjal. In order to formulate a strategy to resurrect the organisation in the border regions of Poonch and Rajouri in J&K, a high-level meeting of the Hizbul organisation recently took place in Islamabad, Pakistan, he claimed.
“Hussain is the most feared terrorist to have been killed in the Rajouri and Poonch area over the past ten years. His murder proves Pakistan is actively seeking to reignite terrorism by sending seasoned terrorists to inspire and recruit young people, Lt Col Bartwal added.
