Srinagar

Jammu and Kashmir Police and the Army today achieved a major success is counter terrorism when they killed a top terrorist of Jaish-e-Mohammed who has since been identified as the nephew of the Pakistan-based UN-proscribed terrorist Azhar Masood.

His name is Mohammad Ismail Alvi alias Lamboo and he was one of the facilitators of the Pulwama attack in which 40 CRPF personnel were killed as a young Kashmiri rammed an explosive laden car in the conveys carrying them.

He was was among the two terrorists killed in an early morning encounter between terrorists and security forces at Nagberan-Tarsar forest area of South Kashmir's Pulwama district, officials said on Saturday.

"Top most Pakistani terrorist affiliated with proscribed terror outfit JeM Lamboo killed in today's encounter. Identification of second terrorist being ascertained," police said.

Earlier the firefight between terrorists and security the forces took place after a joint team of the police and the army cordoned off the area and launched a search operation on the basis of specific information about the presence of terrorists.

As the security forces zeroed in on the spot where terrorists were hiding they came under a heavy volume of fire that triggered the encounter.

Meanwhile, IG Kashmir Vijay Kumar has congratulated the army and the police for the successful anti-terror operation.