Two soldiers were injured in the encounter that led to the killing of terrorist Sameer Tiger
Highlights
- He was killed in an encounter in Pulwama district on Monday
- Was among most wanted terrorists in South Kashmir
- Video shows how soldiers managed to neutralise the threat
A video widely circulated over the social media captures the final assault on a top terrorist who had hid in a house in Jammu and Kashmir's Pulwama district.
The clipping that's over a minute long was apparently shot by a jawan shows the final moments of the operation launched by the army that
led to the killing of Sameer Tiger, a commander of the terrorist group Hizbul Mujahideen and one of south Kashmir's most wanted.
The video shows the house surrounded by armoured vehicles, one of them is seen sprinkling inflammable liquid on the house in which the terrorist had taken shelter. An incendiary bomb is then fired after which the house and an adjoining walnut tree catch fire.
As the house is engulfed in flames, the terrorist, who was often seen carrying an US-made M16 rifle, moves to the terrace. Some soldiers engaged in the operation can be heard shouting "there is Sameer". When he tried to flee, a hail of bullets is fired, killing him on the spot.
Hours before the encounter began, Sameer had circulated a video clip on social media and dared Army officer Major Rohit Shukla. While interrogating a local resident on suspicion of being a security forces informer, the terrorist asked him to tell Major Shukla "just because the tiger had stopped hunting, you think the jungle was yours".
Major Shukla took the challenge and led the operation against the terrorist. The army officer and a jawan were injured in the gun battle. Officials say Major Shukla's condition is now stable.
As per the new security doctrine, the shelter houses are being destroyed to prevent casualties on security forces. While police say the houses often catch fire during the exchange of fire, the video clearly shows that security forces have changed their tactics.
Earlier, troops would storm shelter houses and go for room intervention operations to neutralise hiding militants without destroying buildings. But that was too risky as security forces would often suffer causalities in such sanitising operations.
On Wednesday, three houses were destroyed by security forces in Shopian. Police admit that no terrorist was present in the houses, saying the operation was launched on the suspicion that a group of fleeing terrorists had taken shelter in them. One of the destroyed houses was owned by a police sub-inspector.