News Brief
Hafiz Saeed's Close Aide Abu Qatal, Mastermind Of 2023 Rajouri Attack, Killed In Pakistan: Report
Hafiz Saeed (Representative Image) (Arif Ali/AFP/Getty Images)
Abu Qatal, one of Lashkar-e-Taiba’s most wanted terrorists, was reportedly killed in Pakistan on Saturday (15 March) night.
He was a key figure in the Pakistani terror outfit and was responsible for orchestrating several attacks in Jammu and Kashmir, India Today reported.
According to reports, Qatal was eliminated by an unidentified person in the Dina area of Jhelum, Pakistan
A close associate of 26/11 Mumbai attack mastermind Hafiz Saeed, Abu Qatal played a crucial role in the 9 June assault on a bus carrying pilgrims returning from the Shiv Khori temple in Jammu and Kashmir’s Reasi district. The attack was orchestrated under Qatal’s leadership.
Hafiz Saeed had appointed Abu Qatal as Lashkar-e-Taiba’s Chief Operational Commander. Hafiz Saeed used to give orders to Abu Qatal, who then executed major attacks in Kashmir.
The National Investigation Agency (NIA) had also named Abu Qatal in its chargesheet for his role in the 2023 Rajouri attack.
Seven people, including two children, lost their lives, while several others sustained severe injuries.
In connection with the Rajouri attacks, the NIA charge-sheeted five accused, among them three Pakistan-based handlers of the banned Lashkar-e-Taiba.
NIA investigations revealed that the trio had orchestrated the recruitment and dispatch of LeT terrorists from Pakistan to target civilians, particularly from the minority community in Jammu & Kashmir, as well as security personnel.
Abu Qatal had been under the surveillance of multiple security agencies, including the Army, for his involvement in numerous terror-related incidents across Jammu and Kashmir.
