3 killed, soldier kidnapped, top commander arrested in J

Srinagar, May 8 (UNI) Three persons were killed and a soldier was among two others kindapped in Jammu and Kashmir overnight, an official spokesman said.

Three top commanders of Al-Omar Mujahideen (AOM) were arrested by the army and Jammu and Kashmir police in a joint operation in north Kashmir, a defence ministry spokesman said.

An official spokesman said militants shot at and wounded one Zuber at Pazipora Ganderbal last night. He was shifted to the hospital where he died today.

He said one Javed Ahmad, a released militant of Lasher-e-Toiba (LeT), was kidnapped and later killed by militants at Nadigam in Pulwama.

The body of one Bashir Uddin was recovered from Kund forest in south Kashmir district of Anantnag.

He said militants kidnapped a constable of Indian Reserve Police (IRP) Mushtaq Ahmad and one Javed Ahmad Bhat from Bandipora in Baramulla last night.

Defence ministry spokesman describing the arrest of AOM militants as a major success, said the arrests were made during a search operation conducted after receiving specific information.

He said self-styled ''chief operations'' in Kashmir valley Nazir Ahmad Ganai alias Nazir Cobra was wanted in several militancy related incidents.

Two other militants--Bashir Ahmad and Mushtaq Ahamd-- were also wanted and carrying reward on their head.

He said Bashir, a Unani doctor was functioning as senior coordinator for carrying out attacks on security forces while Mushtaq, a lecturer by profession, was involved in several militancy related incidents.

The spokesman said some fake identity cards and incriminating documents were recovered from them.

UNI BAS MSJ KP1859