Top HM commander among 4 killed in Kashmir

Srinagar, May 27 (UNI) A top commander of Hizbul Mujahideen (HM), who was planning to target Amarnath pilgrims, was among four people killed in the Kashmir valley overnight.

The HM commander an expert in making and planting Improvised Explosive Devices (IEDs), was today killed by the Rashtriya Rifles (RR) troops in an encounter, a defence ministry spokesman said.

He said troops of 3 RR conducted a search operation after receiving specific information that some top HM militants were holding a meeting at Batakote Ashmuqam on the Anantnag-Pahalgam road.

However, when troops were sealing the area, militants hiding in the village opened indiscriminate fire and also lobbed grenades.

Troops immediately strengthened the cordon and retaliated during which a militant was killed.

The slain militant was identified as Monawar who was active in south Kashmir since 1997.

Intelligence inputs confirmed that he was planning to target yatris during the two-month long annulal Amarnath pilgrimage, commencing from next month.

Monawar, who was initially associated with Harkat-ul-Ansar (HUA), was a threat to the yatra, the spokesman said.

He said the slain commander was an expert in making, planting and detonating IEDs and was involved in a number of militancy related incidents in south Kashmir. One AK rifle and other arms and ammunition were recovered from the slain militant.

An official spokesman said militant shot dead a counter insurgent Abdul Rashid at Bandipora in North Kashmir district of Baramulla this afternoon.

A woman, Hashima was also killed in the firing while a boy injured critically.

Security forces recovered an unidentified dead body with wound marks on the body from Shopian in North Kashmir district of Pulwama today.

Unidentified gunmen barged into the house of one Mohammad Sultan at Petseer in Baramulla district last night and decamped with gold ornaments.

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