SRINAGAR: Three militants from the desingnated terrorist outfit Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) have been killed in an ongoing encounter with security forces in the Shukroo forest area in South Kashmir’s Shopian district in Jammu and Kashmir on Tuesday.
The militants include top LeT commander Shahid Kuttay, according to officials.
A police officer said a massive cordon and search operation was launched by troops in the Shukroo forest area of Keller in Shopian in the early hours of Tuesday, after receiving specific input about the presence of some militants there.
Police said the search operation turned into an encounter after the terrorists fired upon the forces who retaliated.
In the exchange of fire, three terrorists were killed as their bodies were sighted in the deep vegetation area in the forests, the officials said.
A senior police officer identified the two as Shahid Kuttay and Adnan Shafi. The identity of the third one was being ascertained.
Kuttay, a resident of Chotipora Heerpora area of Shopian, who had joined the terror ranks in March 2023, was a category "A" terrorist and a top commander of the outfit, the official said.
He said Kuttay was involved in several terror incidents and anti-national activities, including in the killing of BJP sarpanch at Heerpora on May 18, 2024.
On April 26 last month, days after the Pahalgam attack, authorities razed the residential house belonging to Kuttay Kuttay, active for the last three to four years, is involved in many anti-national activities, the officials said.
Shafi, a resident of Wanduna Melhora area of Shopian had joined in October 2024 and was a category "C" terrorist.
He was involved in the killing of non-local labourer at Wachi, Shopian on October 18, 2024, the official said.
(With inputs from PTI)