Pulwama, May 23: In a major breakthrough for security forces, terror organisation Ansar Ghazwat-ul-Hind chief Zakir Musa was reported to be killed in an encounter in  Tral area of Jammu and Kashmir’s Pulwama district on Thursday. However, officials are yet to confirm his death. According to reports, a gunbattle broke out between terrorists and security forces at Dadsara village in the Tral area. Zakir Musa Reported to Be in Punjab Disguised As Sikh, High Alert Sounded in Bathinda and Ferozepur.

A joint team of the Indian Army’s 42 Rashtriya Rifle, J&K police’s Special Operation Group (SOG) and the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) cordoned off the area on Thursday evening after receiving credible inputs about the presence of Musa. The gunfight broke out after he fired at the forces. The internet services have been suspended in most parts of south Kashmir. Ansar Ghazwat-ul-Hind is aligned with global terror group Al Qaeda. Jaish-e-Mohammed Planning Major Attack In India; 100 Suicide Attackers Take Oath In PoK.

Last year in December, news surfaced that Musa could be hiding in Punjab. A red alert had also been issued after the following intelligence inputs. Musa had succeeded Burhan Wani as the chief of the terrorist organisation Hizbul Mujahideen following Wani’s death in an encounter with security forces in Kashmir in July 2016.

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on May 23, 2019 08:54 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).