Few terrorists, including self-styled commanders in Valley will be killed soon: J&K DGP

New Delhi, Nov 03: Few terrorists, including a self-styled LeT commander, are active in north Kashmir's Sopore town and threatening people, including shopkeepers and fruit traders, DGP Dilbag Singh said on Saturday, asserting that security forces will "neutralise" them.

The law and order situation has improved in Sopore and elsewhere in the Valley, he said.

The town has been mostly cleared of terrorists and efforts are on to make it terrorism free, the director general of police (DGP) said after inspecting a police station building in Sopore where 20 people were injured in a grenade attack on October 28.

"Sopore became notorious for a large presence of terrorists over the years and was witnessing frequent law and order problems.

"However, the situation has changed due to alertness of police, Army and CAPF and cooperation of the people... the area has almost been cleared of terrorists," Singh told reporters.

There are still "some elements, including a local self-styled commander of the Lashker-e-Taiba (LeT) Sajad Ahmad Mir alias Hyder, active and threatening people including shopkeepers and fruit traders", the DGP said.

Police and other forces are working to neutralise them," he said expressing satisfaction over the improvement in the overall law and order situation in the apple-rich town.

Singh also reviewed the crime, law and order and functioning of the police station, a police spokesman said, adding that he stressed on speeding up of operations against the terrorists and those who are involved in disrupting peace and order.

The situation has improved a lot across the Valley with people opening their shops, the DGP said.

Congratulating the forces for arresting a local LeT terrorist Danish Tariq Channa this morning, Singh said Channa had recently joined the terror group after being motivated by Mir and was active in the district with other LeT operatives.

"He was arrested by the Sopore police along with a contingent of the 22-Rashtriya Rifles and 179 Battalion CRPF. A pistol, its one magazine, seven rounds and a grenade was recovered from him," he said. The DGP said Channa is being questioned.