LeT terrorist killed in retaliatory action by Indian Army

A Lashker-e-Taiba (LeT) terrorist is believed to have been killed in a retaliatory action by the Indian Army after Pakistani troops beheaded two security personnel after crossing the Line of Control (LoC) in Poonch district earlier this month, an Army official said today.

Abu Ali Sheraj alias Ibini Abul Majid, who hailed from main road Biddersher in Bahawalpur in Pakistan, was a member of Pakistan's Border Action Team (BAT) which struck in Krishna Ghati sector on May 1, the official said.

Under the cover of heavy mortar fire, a BAT team of Pakistan sneaked 250 metres across the LoC and beheaded two Indian security personnel on May 1.

Sheraj was probably killed in the retaliatory action by the Indian Army after the beheading incident, the official told PTI, quoting intelligence inputs from Pakistan.

The official said his body could not be recovered because a search could not be conducted in the area in view of heavy shelling.

Citing intelligence inputs from Pakistan, the official said the terrorist's body was possibly not retrieved by the Pakistani side too as his last rites were performed in absentia on May 16.

'Gayabana Namaz-e-Jinaza' (last rites in absentia) was held at his home in Bahawalpur and it was attended by LeT chief Hafiz Saeed's brother-in-law Abdul Rehman Makki, himself a top LeT terrorist, along with some other Lasher commanders participated on May 16, the official said.

On May 1, while the Pakistani troops targeted two forward posts of the Indian Army with rockets and mortar bombs, the BAT personnel quickly moved in and beheaded two security personnel -- BSF Head Constable Prem Sagar and Army Subedar Paramjeet Singh.

The BAT is specifically employed for trans-LoC action.

In Pakistan, the SSG (special services group) forms the core of BAT. Its primary task is to dominate the LoC by carrying out disruptive actions in the form of surreptitious raids.

There have been several BAT attacks in the past in which jawans have been beheaded or their bodies mutilated.

On October 28 last year, an Indian army soldier was killed and his body mutilated close to the LoC in the Machil sector.

In January 2013, Lance Naik Hemraj was killed and his body mutilated by BAT.