The ‘dwarf’ militant was the divisional commander of JeM who masterminded several attacks on security forces in the Valley.
New Delhi: Noor Mohammad Tantray, the three-feet tall Jaish-e-Mohammad (JeM) commander who had kept security forces on their toes in south Kashmir, was killed in an encounter Tuesday.
The “dwarf” militant was the divisional commander of JeM who masterminded several attacks on security forces in the Valley.
Police said they received a tip-off Monday night about the presence of two to three militants in Samboora in south Kashmir’s Awantipora district.
“We cordoned a cluster of houses at Samboora, resulting in a fierce gun battle leading to the elimination of top JeM commander Noor Mohammed Tantray,” a police statement said.
His death is seen as a major blow to the militant outfit.
“The accused was one of the chief architects of the BSF camp attack near Srinagar airport this year. Besides, he was wanted in a number of terror offences in south and central Kashmir,” the statement said.
Tantray, 47, a resident of Tral in Pulwama district, became a “key man” of the JeM, responsible for planning and coordination before carrying out attacks at different places.
Jammu and Kashmir police chief Shesh Paul Vaid said that there were inputs that the militants were present and planning to attack a convoy on the National Highway.
“The encounter had been going on since last evening in Awantipora district. There were inputs about presence of 2/3 terrorists near NH, planning to attack a convoy,” he tweeted. “One dead body of terrorist recovered so far, search for others going on.” (sic)
Tantray was arrested in Delhi in 2003 and sentenced to life by a Prevention of Terrorism Act (POTA) court in 2011. He spent some time in Tihar Jail before being shifted to Srinagar’s Central Jail.
Subsequently, he jumped parole and rejoined the JeM, becoming one of its top commanders.