A commander among 3 LeT ultras killed, two others arrested in J

Srinagar, Sep 19 (UNI) A top commander among three militants of Pakistan based Lashkar- e-Toiba (LeT) were killed and two others were arrested in Jammu and Kashmir where a hideout was also unearthed and large cache of arms and ammunition recovered overnight.

A report from Jammu said a police party acting on a tip off, launched a search operation at village Tanta Draman in Doda district early this morning.

Senior Superintendent of Police, Doda, Manohar Singh told UNI that when the security forces were sealing the village, militants opened fire. The fire was returned and in the fierce clash a dreaded Pakistani militant commander of LeT, Omar and two local militants identified as Mohd Sadiq alias Abu Haider and Mohammad Imran alias Abu Sufian were killed.

Police have recovered two AK-47 rifles, four magazines, 40 rounds and some incriminating material from the site, the SSP added.

Official sources said in Srinagar that militants hurled a hand grenade towards security forces near crowded general bus stand at Batmaloo, half a km away from the civil secretariat this afternoon.

It exploded on the roadside causing injuries to five persons, including two security men. The injured were hospitalised, they said.

This was the first grenade blast in the city after police claimed on Saturday to have busted a Hizbul Mujahideen (HM) module when they arrested four militants, responsible for causing car bomb blasts in Srinagar.

Official spokesman said security forces today arrested two LeT militants during a search operation at Galkul Garoora in Baramulla alongwith one pistol, one magazine, 25 rounds of ammunition and one wireless set.

He said another militant was arrested at Batti Dhar in Rajouri district of Jammu region.

Security forces and police in a joint operation recovered busted a hideout and recovered one UBGL, one rifle grenade, three mortar shells, eight IEDs, and five IED boxes at Marhota in Poonch district last night. However, no one was arrested.

UNI BAS SHB HT1912