SRINAGAR: A top commander of Lashkar-e-Toiba and a Pakistani militant were killed in twin gunfight on the outskirts of Srinagar on Monday. Meanwhile the BSF said its troops shot dead an intruder in Arnia sector of Jammu.
A police official said acting on input about the presence of a top Lashkar commander and a Pakistani militant, a joint operation was launched in Shalimar area outside Srinagar.
“The security men plugged off all the escape routes in and around the famous Shalimar garden. A top Lashkar commander Saleem Parray was trapped there. He fired on the troops and was killed in the retaliatory firing,” he said.
According to IGP Kashmir Vijay Kumar, the Pakistani militant managed to escape from the area but was chased by the security men.
The Pakistani militant was encircled by troops and he fired on the security men. In the ensuing shootout, the militant was killed.
The slain militant was identified as Hafiz alias Hamza of Pakistan affiliated to LeT.
The IGP termed the killing of two militants as a major success for security forces.
“Parray was involved in several civilian killings and attacks on security forces,” he said, adding that Hafiz was involved in killing of two policemen in Bandipora last month.
Meanwhile, BSF personnel shot dead an intruder in Jammu district. A BSF spokesman said border guards deployed along the International Border saw movement of a Pakistani person.
“He was challenged but he did not pay any heed and was subsequently shot dead.”