Top Harkat commander, Congress leader among 9 killed in J and K

Srinagar, July 23 (UNI) A Congress leader, a soldier and four militants, including a self styled Divisional Commander of Harkat- ul- Mujahideen (HuM) were among nine people killed while ultras attacked a police station in Jammu and Kashmir overnight, official sources said.

Militants shot dead Congress block president Fateh Mohammad Dar at Larkipora in south Kashmir district of Anantnag this afternoon, they said.

The 60-year-old Mr Dar, who had gone Larkipora to attend the meeting of Congress leaders. He was shot dead when he was going to offer mid-day prayers, the sources said.

They said two people Ghulam Mohammad Dar and Jamal Ganai, were killed and Tariq Ahmad was injured in a blast in a scrape shop at Mawar Handwara in north Kashmir this afternoon.

Militants threw a grenade at Handwara police station last evening. The grenade exploded in the compound causing injuries to one person.

Troops of 62 Rashtriya Rifles (RR) launched a search operation at a village in Shopian in south Kashmir district of Pulwama after receiving an information about the presence of militants there, the sources said.

When the troops were sealing all exit points, militants hiding there opened fire on them from automatic weapons.

The security personnel also retaliated and in the fierce encounter, two militants including Divisional Commander of HuM were killed. Two AK rifles and other arms and ammunition were recovered from the slain militants.

The sources said two more militants were gunned down in a similar operation at Bandipora in north Kashmir last night.

Militants shot dead one Wahid Bakerwal at Chatroo in Doda district of Jammu region late last night.

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