SRINAGAR: A militant killed in a gunfight with the counter-insurgent forces at Salinder forest area of north Kashmir’s Bandipora district was affiliated with Lashkar-e-Toiba, police said.
An official said that based on a specific input generated by the Police regarding the presence of militants at Salinder forest area of north Kashmir’s Bandipora, a joint cordon and search operation was launched by Police, Army and CRPF in the said area.
“During the search operation, as the search party proceeded towards the suspected spot, the hiding militant fired indiscriminately upon the search party which was retaliated effectively leading to an encounter,” he said.
“In the ensuing encounter, one militant was killed and his body was retrieved from the site of the encounter,” he added.
He said that the slain militant has been identified as Gulzar Ahmad Ganai resident of Wussan Pattan Baramulla.
According to police he exfiltrated to Pakistan in the year 2018 and remained there for 3 years and 6 months before infiltrating back in the last week of April.
