Srinagar: Pakistan-based militant outfit Jaish-e-Mohammad (JeM) suffered yet another jolt when its top commander Nasir Mehmood Ahwan alias Ansaar was killed in an encounter with police in downtown Srinagar on September 16 night.

Ansaar, a resident of Pakistan and involved in about 20 killings of security and police personnel, was number two in the Jaish hierarchy after Sehrai Baba following the killing of Gazi Baba and his deputy Rashid Bhai on August 30, director general of police Gopal Sharma told reporters on September 17.

Sharma said the encounter took place when a police and Border Security Force (BSF) party was on its way to a hideout of the outfit at Dana Mazar near Safakadal in the old city.

Soon after the killing of Gazi Baba, police had launched an offensive against the militants operating in the valley, especially in the city and arrested two persons, Bashi Ahmad Gojri and Manzoor Ahmad Baba.

The interrogation of the two led to the unearthing of 12 well-constructed and concealed hideouts of JeM outfit and recovery of huge quantity of arms and ammunition, the police chief said.

He said 11 persons who were acting as harbourers and overground sympathisers of the outfit have been arrested.

Killing of Ansaar, busting of 12 of its hideouts and arrest of its overground workers have given a big blow to Jaish in the valley, Sharma said.

The offensive against the militants operating in the valley will continue and all necessary steps will be taken to neutralise them.

Sharma said Ansaar was involved in the suicide attack on Army camps at Kulpura and Lar, besides killing of a number of securitymen and police personnel in the city.

Those whom he had killed included sub-inspector Fauza Singh at Karan Nagar, two Army personnel at Batmaloo, one Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) and (BSF) jawan each at Dal Gate, a BSF jawan at Regal Cinema, a BSF jawan at Lal Chowk, a policeman of the flying squad at Batmaloo, a BSF jawan at Qammerwari, two Army jawans at Lolab and a policeman at Lal Chowk.

PTI