Bid to attack Amarnath pilgrims foiled, militant killed

Srinagar, July 6 (UNI) A militant bid to attack the Amarnath pilgrims was today foiled by the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) personnel when they gunned down a top commander of Pakistan-based Lashkar-e-Toiba (LeT) at Kangan, about 40 km from here, this evening, a CRPF spokesman said.

He said personnel of CRPF's 158 battalion cordoned off a locality in the Kangan area this evening following a tip-off.

During the operation, the CRPF personnel were fired upon by the militants. The fire was effectively retaliated and in the ensuing encounter, a self-styled area commander of the banned LeT, identified as Shaheen, was killed, the spokesman said.

He said an AK rifle and other arms and ammunition were seized from his possession.

The spokesman said the militant was planning to target the Amarnath pilgrims as they take this route (Baltal) to the holy cave shrine.

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