Truck driver, carrying JeM terrorists killed in Jammu-Srinagar highway encounter, connected to Pulwama terror attack

The driver of the Srinagar-bound truck carrying terrorists, who were killed in an encounter on Friday morning on the Jammu-Srinagar highway, had a connection with the Pulwama terror attack on February 14, 2019.

Three Jaish-e-Mohammad (JeM) terrorists were killed and a policeman injured in the encounter between security forces and terrorists near the Bann toll post in Nagrota on the highway. The incident took place at around 5.45 am when a police team conducting a vehicle check near the toll booth intercepted the truck.

An encounter ensued when the terrorists inside the truck fired at the police, injuring one policeman. The police fired in retaliation killing one militant while the others ran towards the forest area.

The driver, Salim Dar, is allegedly the cousin of Adil Dar, who planted IEDs resulting in the blast and killing 40 Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) personnel. 

The security forces have recovered five AK47, a US-made sniper rifle, five pistols and over two dozen hand grenades from the terrorists.

Jammu and Kashmir DGP Dilbag Singh confirmed that they were JeM terrorists. He said, "One of the three killed was their leader because such weapons can only be in the possession of a big terrorist or their chief. The NIA has not been assigned the case as the police will look into it."

Speaking to news agency ANI, he also said, "These terrorists were a newly infiltrated group and were on their way to Srinagar. It is suspected that they infiltrated from Kathua, Hiranagar border. An investigation is on."