SRINAGAR: Three militants including a Lashkar-e-Toiba’s Pakistani commander Usman, who was involved in the recent killing of a CRPF jawan and a civilian, were killed in an encounter with security forces in Sopore area in north Kashmir’s Baramulla district on Sunday.
A police official said that a joint contingent of police, CRPF and army men laid siege around Model Town, Sopore in the early hours today after receiving inputs about the presence of militants there.
He said as the security personnel were conducting searches, they came under fire from militants hiding in the besieged area.
SP Sopore Javaid Iqbal said in the ensuing gunfight, which continued till evening, three militants were killed.
He said bodies of the militants have been recovered and the combing operation in the area was going on.
A police spokesman said one of the slain militants has been identified as LeT’s Pakistani militant Usman, who was involved in a recent attack on CRPF party in Sopore in which a CRPF jawan and a 65-year-old civilian were killed. The family of the civilian had accused security personnel of killing him after coming under militant fire.
The IGP Kashmir Vijay Kumar termed killing of Usman as a big success for police and security forces.
Defence spokesman Colonel Rajesh Kalia said three AKs rifles and ammunition were recovered from the encounter site.