New Delhi: Zakir Musa was gunned down by security forces in an encounter in Jammu and Kashmir’s Tral area on Thursday. He was Kashmir's longest surviving terrorist.

According to officials, the gunfight broke out between terrorists and security forces at Dadsara village in the Tral area of south Trailmir’s Pulwama district on Thursday.

Musa was the head of the Ansar Ghazwatul Hind chief. He was persuaded to surrender, but he is said to have retaliated and fired back at the forces.

According to reports, a joint team of the Army’s 42 RR, SOG and CRPF cordoned off the Dadsara village late in the evening.

A police officer said the cordon was laid down following inputs about the presence of the militant commander of Ansar Gazwatul Hind, Zakir Musa.

Zakir Rashid Bhat, alias Zakir Musa, joined militancy in 2013 at the age of 19. He was earlier affiliated with Pakistan based militant group, Hizbul Mujahideen. Musa shot to prominence in 2017 after he announced his disassociation with Hizbul, and expressed his intention to go ahead with a global movement of establishing Khilafat.

Also read: Security forces kill Zakir Musa's aide Abdulla in Sopore encounter

Scores of youth marched towards the encounter site, and government forces fired tear gas shells, leading to clashes. 

Meanwhile, internet services have been shut in most parts of south Kashmir and will be shut in the entire Valley soon.

All educational institutions in the Valley will also remain shut on Friday as per government directions owing to a possible law and order crisis.

Zakir Musa, former chief of terror outfit Ansar Ghazwat-ul-Hind, had also asked people of Kashmir to stay away from polls in another purported audio clip. “There are people who will try to lure you and ask for the votes. It is kufur (profanity) to participate in the polls, whether in India or in the claimed country of God (Pakistan),” Musa was heard saying in an audio clip.

Ansar Ghazwat ul-Hind (1): Zakir Rashid Bhat alias Zakir Musa; Resident of Tral, Awantipur, Category – A++, Date of Joining – July 2013; AGH Commander