Police officer, LeT commander among 4 killed, arms recovered in J

Srinagar, Sep 14 (UNI) A Special Police Officer (SPO) and a Lashkar-e-Toiba commander were among four people killed and five others injured while huge cache of arms and ammunition were recovered in the Jammu and Kashmir overnight.

An official spokesman said security forces and police launched a joint operation at Lower Punara in Udhampur district of Jammu region early this morning following information that militants were hiding there.

However, during the operation, militants opened fire. The fire was returned and in the fierce encounter, a self styled Area Commander of LeT was killed. A SPO and a Village Defence Committee (VDC) member also laid down their lives and five police personnel were injured. One AK rifle, two magazines and one hand grenade were recovered from the slain militant.

He said militants abducted one Shabir Ahmad Dar, a photographer, from his Lethpora house in Pulwama district last night. His head and body was recovered at Pampore this morning.

One Aish Ali was injured in an exchange of fire between militants and security forces at Chitta Patta in Doda district last night.

Militants managed to escape, he said.

Police arrsted a HM militant along with two hand grenades at Shopian last night.

Militants shot at and wounded one Abdul Salam Bhat, a headmaster at Ganjipora Kulgam outside high school Shamaspora in South Kashmir district of Anantnag today.

He said security forces and police in two different operations busted hideouts and recovered three AK rifles, three magazines, 20 detonators, 10 hand grenades, one pistol, one wireless set and 32 packets of explosive material from Poonch and Rajouri districts last night. However, no one was arrested.

UNI BAS AK KN1931