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Most-wanted LeT commander gives slip to forces second time in a week

Sources said Abu Dujana along with his aide Arif Lelhar and other associates were hiding in Hakripora village when security forces received a tip-off about their presence

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Security forces during a stand-off with protestors in Kashmir. — Picture for representational purpose
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For the second time in a week, Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) Chief Operations Commander Abu Dujana and his two associates broke the security forces cordon and escaped to safety in Hakripora village of south Kashmir's Pulwama district.

Abu Dujana, who is a most wanted terrorist carrying over Rs 15 lakh bounty on his head, fled Hakripora village soon after security forces cordoned of the area on Tuesday evening.

Sources said Dujana along with his aide Arif Lelhar and other associates were hiding in Hakripora village when security forces received a tip-off about their presence.

However, when security forces were closing in on the target, the people of the village came on streets and started pelting stones. In the melee, Dujana and his associates fired some rounds and managed to give forces a slip, sources said.

"We can't say whether Dujana was there or not. Reportedly, there was LeT group but we do not know who was there. We had information about three to four militants in the area. Operations are a continuing process. We tried to save civilians and terrorists take advantage of that," said Mohommad Aslam, Senior Superintendent of Police, Pulwama.

Operating in the valley since last five years, Dujana replaced LeT operational Commander and Udhampur attack mastermind Abu Qasim after he was killed by security forces in October 2015.

Believed to be originally hailing from Gilgit-Baltistan, Dujana has been mastermind of most of the attacks on security forces in south Kashmir.

Operating mostly in Pulwama district, Abu Dujana is also the mastermind of Pampore terror attack that killed eight CRPF men last year. Last year, Dujana had made several public appearances during protest rallies in south Kashmir. He had also made appearances during the last rites of Hizbul Commander Burhan Wani at Tral.

This is the second time in a week that Dujana broke the cordon and escaped to safety. On May 19, Dujana had escaped from the same village, prompting security forces to call off the operation.

"There is huge support for the terrorists in certain pockets, the reason why they manage to escape. Security forces are unable to break this nexus so far," said an officer.

Official figures reveal that there are more than 200 terrorists operating in the valley, of which 110 are locals and rest are from outside, mostly from Pakistan. Ninety five ultras are new recruits who joined the terrorist ranks last year. More than 100 terrorists are active in the South Kashmir region alone.

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