HM District Commander, SPO killed in Kishtwar encounter

Doda, Oct 31 (UNI) The district commander of Hizbul-Mujaheedin was among two people killed in a day-long gun battle between the militants and security forces in tehsil Chattro of Kishtwar district, official sources said today.

Sources said acting on a specific information, troops of 11 Rashtriya Rifles and Special Task Force (STF) launched an operation wherein three militants of Hizbul-Mujaheedin got trapped resulting into a fierce gun battle in village Malkinar in Chatroo tehsil of Kishtwar district.

''Security forces on a tip-off cordoned off the area and launched a search operation in which three militants of HM outfit got trapped,'' sources told UNI, adding that district commander of HM outfit identified as Mehraj, alias Moulvi Fayaz, was gunned down while one Special Police Officer (SPO) identified as Shamas-u-Din also got killed during the encounter.

However, security forces blasted the house where the militants were hiding during the encounter in which the HM commander got killed sources said, adding that searches were continuing in the area.

UNI