SRINAGAR: A Pakistani militant of Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) was killed and four security personnel were injured in an encounter that broke out in the Khanyar area here on Saturday morning, officials said.
Inspector General of Police Kashmir Vidhi Kumar Birdi said, “The most wanted LeT Commander Usman Bhai has been killed in a day-long gunfight in Khanyar.” Usman was wanted in many militancy-related cases, including the killing of non-locals and security forces. He was also involved in killing of Inspector Manzoor, the officer added.
Security forces launched a cordon and search operation in the densely populated locality of Khanyar in the interior city following inputs about the presence of militants in the area, a police official said.
The search operation turned into an encounter as the militants opened fire at the search party, which retaliated, the official said. During the operation, a fire broke out in the house where the militants were holed up and thick grey smoke was seen billowing in the sky.
One militant has been gunned down in the ongoing encounter, the officials said. A senior police officer told PTI that the slain militant was a Pakistani and belonged to the LeT.
“Given his age, he seems to be the senior-most militant of the LeT,” the officer said.
Two Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) jawans and two policemen were injured in the encounter. They were taken to the Army’s 92 Base Hospital. Their condition is stated to be stable, the officials said.
In another ongoing operation, two militants were gunned down by the security forces near Halkan Gali in the Shangus-Larnoo area in Anantnag district of Jammu and Kashmir, according to officials. (With GNS inputs)
