Srinagar, Aug 21 (IANS): A top Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM) terrorist commander Wakeel Ahmad Shah was among three terrorists killed in an encounter between terrorists and the security forces in a forest area at Nagbaeran Tral in South Kashmir's Pulwama district, officials said on Saturday.

Police said on a specific input generated by Awantipora Police regarding presence of a group of JeM terrorists in the upper reaches of forest area of Nagaberan Dhoka area of Tral, a joint cordon and search operation was launched by Police and Army in the said area.

During the search operation, the hiding terrorists fired on the joint search party, which was retaliated leading to an encounter.

In the ensuing encounter three terrorists of proscribed terror outfit JeM were killed and their bodies were retrieved from the site of encounter.

One of the killed terrorists has been identified as Wakeel Ahmad Shah, resident of Bagandar, Tral. However, the identification of other two killed terrorists is being ascertained.

Police said as per its records, the slain terrorist Wakeel Shah was a categorized terrorist and figured among the list of most wanted terrorists operating in the Valley. He was instrumental in planning and executing terror attacks on security establishments and civilian killings, of which several terror crime cases have already been registered against him.

"He executed a series of attacks on Police/Security Forces and resorted to brutal killings of civilians branding them as Police/security forces informers. He was involved in the killing of Municipal Chairman, Tral and BJP leader Rakesh Pandita at Tral Payeen, Shabir Ahmad Bhat resident of Noorabad Tral, Mohd Ayoub Ahanger, resident of Tral Payeen, Shakeela Begum, resident of Dar Ganie Gund, SPO Fayaz Ahmad, his wife Raja Begum and daughter Rafia Jan at Hariparigam," police said.

"Moreover, Wakeel Shah was also involved in a series of firing/grenade lobbing attacks on Police/Security Forces including firing on Security Forces during CASO (cordon and search operations) at Brenthal, grenade lobbing at bus stand Tral on 18/10/2020. Besides, Case FIR No 101/2020 of PS Tral pertaining to recovery of narcotics and explosives at Tral Payeen was also registered against him."

Incriminating materials including arms and ammunition were also recovered from the site of encounter. All the recovered materials have been taken into case records for further investigation and to probe their complicity in other terror crimes. In this connection, Police has registered a case and further investigation is in progress.