Srinagar, Feb 18 (Agencies): Pulwama terror attack mastermind Abdul Rasheed Ghazi was reportedly killed by Indian Army in an encounter in Pulwama Monday morning. However, there is no official confirmation about Ghazi's killing as yet. According to latest reports, Abdul Rasheed Ghazi 's accomplice Kamran has also been neutralised by the security forces.

Abdul Rasheed Ghazi had trained the suicide bomber who had attacked the CRPF convoy with a car laden with explosives that led to martyrdom of 40 soldiers. According to reports, the security forces blew up the building in which Abdul Rasheed Ghazi and two other terrorists were hiding.

Abdul Rasheed Ghazi 

Earlier, four army personnel, including an officer of Major rank, were martyred after an encounter broke out between terrorists and security forces in Jammu and Kashmir’s Pulwama district. The martyred soldiers belonged to 55 Rashtriya Rifles.The four martyred soldiers are – Major DS Dhondiyal, Head Constable Sewa Ram, Sepoy Ajay Kumar and Sepoy Hari Singh

Three terrorists were believed to be trapped by the army. Those trapped included Pulwama terror attack master Abdul Rasheed Ghazi, his accomplice Kamran and a local terrorist. The encounter, that started Sunday night in Pinglia village of Pulwama, is presently underway.

The encounter site is 2-4 kilometers away from the location where 40 CRPF personnel were killed after a suicide bomber affiliated to Jaish-e-Muhammad (JeM) targeted a convoy of the security forces with a car bomb on Thursday.

An Army officer was killed in an improvised explosive device (IED) explosion along the Line of Control (LoC) in Rajouri district of Jammu and Kashmir on February 16. A total of 45 soldiers have been martyred in Jammu and Kashmir in last 5 days.

The Jammu and Kashmir administration on Sunday decided to withdraw the security of five separatist leaders including Hurriyat Conference chief Mirwaiz Umar Farooq. Apart from Mirwaiz, the security cover of Abdul Ghani Bhat, Bilal Lone, Hashim Qureshi and Shabir Shah has also been withdrawn. According to the official order, no security forces or cover will be provided, under any pretext, to these or any other separatists.