SRINAGAR: Two Lashkar-e-Toiba militants were killed in an encounter with security forces in Central Kashmir’s Ganderbal district on Tuesday while army foiled an infiltration bid along Line of Control (LoC) in State’s border district of Rajouri by killing a militant. In another separate incident, a militant was killed in the operation while remaining fled towards Pakistan administered Kashmir (PaK).
A police spokesman said after receiving information about the presence of militants in Hadoora, Shuhama area of central Kashmir’s Ganderbal district, Special Operations Group (SOG) of J&K police, army’s 5 Rashtria Rifles and paramilitary CRPF personnel cordoned off the area early this morning and launched search operation to track down the militants.
He said during the search operation, militants hiding in the area fired from automatic weapons towards the soldiers.
“The fire was returned by the troops and in the ensuing gunfight, which continued for more than three hours, two Lashkar militants were killed,” the spokesman said adding security forces did not suffer any casualties during the firefight.
The slain militants were identified as LeT militants Qari Hanzullah and Anas Bilal, both residents of Pakistan.
“2 AK-47 rifles, 1 grenade, 6 magazines and 180 rounds were recovered from the encounter site,” the police spokesman said.
A police official said both the militants were active since 2013.
“They were involved in Fidayeen attack on CRPF in Nowhatta area of downtown Srinagar on August 15, 2016 in which CRPF commandant Pramod Kumar and a police constable were killed,” he said.
The official said the militants were also involved in the attack on SSB convoy at Zakoora area in outskirts of Srinagar on October 10 last year in which one SSB jawan was killed and seven SSB personnel and a cop injured.
Terming the killing of militants as another jolt for Lashkar, he said both the militants were operating in Srinagar and Ganderbal areas in Central Kashmir since January 2013 and had recently started coordinating with Hizbul Mujahideen.
“They were transporting newly infiltrated groups from one place to another and were managing safe places and hideouts for them,” he said.
Meanwhile, a defence spokesman in Jammu Lt Colonel Manish Mehta said army foiled an infiltration bid of militants in Sunderbani sector along LoC in Rajouri district and killed a militant.
“Army men deployed along LoC in Sunderbani sector in Rajouri district foiled an infiltration attempt in the early hours today. The troops detected movement of militants along the LoC and engaged the infiltrating militants in a gunfight,” he said.
“The body of the slain militant has been recovered. A weapon and ammunition were also recovered from the slain militant,” the defence spokesman said.
He said the killing of militant assumes significance in view of a large number of intelligence reports of likely militant attacks around January 26.